FIVE-OF-FIVE-FROM-FIVE

Throughout the ages, the eyes and hands have been heralded as the ‘windows’ to a person’s hopes, dreams, mood and character. In the fourth century, Croatian theologian and historian St. Jerome wrote: ”eyes without speaking confess the secrets of the heart”. The 16th Century French Philosopher Michel de Montaigne entrusts the hands with an abundance of transparency: “Behold the hands, how they promise, conjure, appeal, menace, pray, supplicate, refuse, beckon, interrogate, admire, confess, cringe, instruct, command, mock and what not besides, with a variation and multiplication of variation which makes the tongue envious.”

As a second generation immigrant, the immigrant narrative has invariably formed a dominant theme for much of my life. The 5 of 5 from 5 Photo Essay is an anecdotal account, through narrative and five photographs of five immigrants, from five continents, who found their way to the Northeastern Ontario town of Timmins, and the neighbouring community of Cochrane.  

Thank you to Jennifer, Giovanni, Zeinab, Kelly, and Sandi for sharing their fascinating journeys, for their poise and patience behind the camera and for welcoming me into their home. Thank you to Benji De Lorenzi for his outstanding artistry, technical skills and design sense in producing the graphic layout of the project.  Finally, thank you to my parents for taking a chance on Canada sixty- seven years ago.

GIOVANNI LIA

"It was like Italy, we played bestia, briscola and scala quaranta and there would always be something to eat ('il dolce') on the table."

JENNIFER AVILES SADITES

"I was always a very fast paced person - I packed in as much as I could but being here has forced me to relax a little bit."

KELLY MIDHA

"When the plane landed I thought we were landing in the middle of nowhere . . . But when I drove out of the airport and saw the 'Welcome to Timmins' sign and something written in a native language I was very fascinated and had a good feeling."