"...the first move you do is smiling!..."
Doing the series on African Canadians is rewarding on many levels, not the least of which is getting to know my subjects. The story unfolds while sitting at my kitchen counter for an hour leading to the photo shoot. Here's Gregory who came to Canada from France with family roots in Congo. He swears by Toronto's welcoming demeanour and wide open opportunities. Gregory's fluid personality is warm and thoughtful. Yet when we step into the studio additional layers are peeled. An upbringing in Paris shows through his breezy urban sophistication. But as a dancer with his roots and love for African sensibilities he's morphed into a strong, grounded physical presence. During the shoot he tells me about "La Sapologie", a social movement centered in Brazzaville, the capital of Congo, embodying the elegance in style and manners of colonial predecessor dandies as a means of resistance. Its a subject which resonates with Gregory because it brings together his love for French culture and its local permutations in the African continent, but also a dark history of colonialism and oppression. And I'm thinking to myself how, when and with whom do I bring "La Sape" to my studio.