Media Only: Lynne Cohen. Design Exchange. Wednesday. Meet the photographer, tour the exhibition & preview her new book

 Media Preview/Lynne Cohen: Nothing is Hidden

Wednesday, May 2

11 - noon

Design Exchange, Toronto

 

New CONTACT exhibition features images by 2011 Scotiabank Photography Award Winner

Meet the photographer, tour the exhibition & preview her new book

Lynn Cohen: Nothing is Hidden. Book Cover

 

 

Toronto (04/27/2012)  - Scotiabank Photography Award (SPA) co-founders, Ed Burtynsky and Jane Nokes invite media to join them at a sneak peek of Lynne Cohen: Nothing is Hidden,  a primary exhibition in the CONTACT Photography Festival.

The SPA sponsored exhibition features images by Montreal photographic artist Lynne Cohen, the first ever SPA winner.  The Media Preview takes place on Wednesday, May 2nd  from 11:00 a.m. to noon at the Design Exchange, 234 Bay St., Toronto.

 

What: 

Lynne Cohen: Nothing is Hidden, is a specially curated SPA sponsored exhibition

featuring 31 photographs representing a cross-section of the photographer's work.

Images focus on contemporary public spaces, and include rare and early black and white photographs, as well those of vivid colour, angular contrast and often wry imagery.

Attending media will be also be the first to view Ms. Cohen's new SPA sponsored book.

Where:

Design Exchange

234 Bay Street, Toronto

When:

Wednesday, May 2

11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

 

Who:

Lynne Cohen, photographic artist, first winner of SPA. Ms. Cohen is Bilingual

Ed Burtynsky Chair, SPA and one of Canada's most respected photographers

 Jane Nokes, Exec. Director, SPA;  Director Fine Art Collection and Corp. Archives,  Scotiabank

 

WHY:                                     

The opening of the Lynne Cohen exhibition and launch of her book are the final two layers of the three tiered Scotiabank Photography Award, the largest photographic arts award in Canada.  Tour the exhibition prior to public opening, meet this important photographic artist, and preview her new book. Ms. Cohen's work has been featured in countless solo and group exhibitions around the world, and is represented in over 50 public collections, including the National Gallery of Canada and Metropolitan Museum of Art. 

                                                 

Lynne Cohen: Nothing is Hidden opens to the public May 3rd through June 30^th at the Design Exchange, 234 Bay St. Toronto.  

Mon - Fri 10:00a.m. - 5:00p.m.  Sat/Sun 12:00p.m. - 5:00p.m  Free admission courtesy Scotiabank 

About SPA

Established in 2011, the Scotiabank Photography Award was conceived and developed by Ed Burtynsky and Jane Nokes, to raise the international profile of Canada's leading photographic artists.  SPA is the largest annual peer reviewed celebration of excellence in Canadian contemporary photography. The winner is awarded a $50,000 cash prize, as well as this solo exhibition and a professionally produced monograph (to be released  after May 9th).  Including the cash prize, exhibition and book, SPA provides more than $100,000 in cash and marketing support to each year's winner.  The SPA 2012 is sponsored by Canadian Art Magazine,  The Globe and Mail and CTV.

About Scotiabank
Scotiabank is committed to supporting the communities in which we live and work, both in Canada and abroad, through our global philanthropic program, Scotiabank Bright Future.  Recognized as a leader internationally and among Canadian corporations for our charitable donations and philanthropic activities, Scotiabank has provided on average approximately $45 million annually to community causes around the world over each of the last five years. Visit us at www.scotiabank.com

 

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Media planning to attend this special preview or requiring further information are requested to contact:

 

Stephen Weir & Associates:

Stephen Weir    416-489-5868     mobile: 416-801-3101   stephen@stephenweir.com

Linda Crane        905-257-6033     mobile: 416-727-0112   cranepr@cogeco.ca

 

Shawn Gore Brings The Grey Cup Home (but not for the Argos)

Almost the truth ....

(best of Facebook - most popular Stephen Weir posting of the week)

I helped the New Dawn Moravian Church earlier this week with a fun event here in Toronto. The church, located in the Vaughan Rd / Oakwood neighbourhood, has a very famous person it its congregation. Shawn Gore attended Sunday School in the church when he was very young. He is now a Canadian Football League star with the Vancouver Lions, and although he is out of province much of the year, he still consider the New Dawn home.
He brought the Grey Cup to the Church on Tuesday to show the young kids in the neighbourhood. CP-24 decided to go live from the Grey Cup party being held in the church basement. Shawn invited the kids to look at the cup but asked them not to touch it. When the CP24 cameraman asked me to move the cup a bit (because all the silver was reflecting the camera spot light), the kids gasped that I would disobey their hero Shawn.

George Lagogianes interviews Shawn Gore with the Grey Cup

 One youngster tried to tackle me. I sidestepped him. Another tried to clothesline me (I ducked). A third tried a hip block -- too slow.
Anyway, the TV crew got their shots. The interviews were great and the kids enjoyed themselves.
When it was all over a man in the auidence praised me for my moves avoiding the tackles. Gave me a contract to join the Argos! After I signed he asked my age. 
 "Just turned 60". 
He looked at me in disgust and ripped up the contract and stomped out of the church.
Too bad. I had held the Big Trophy while under contract. That is the closest the Argos are going to get to the Grey Cup as long as Gore continues to play for the Lions.

 

SHAWN GORE BRINGING THE GREY CUP TO THE NEW DAWN MORAVIAN CHURCH

       

PHOTO OP / MEDIA ALERT  May 24^th 4pm

SHAWN GORE BRINGING THE GREY CUP TO THE NEW DAWN MORAVIAN CHURCH

What:            BC Lion Shawn Gore is bringing the Grey Cup to the New Dawn Moravian Church ( 7 Glenora Ave). Members of the  Church, local students and sports fans will be coming to see  the famed cup.

When:           April 24^th 4-6 pm

Where:         7 Glenora Avenue ( southeast of  The Vaughan Rd /  Oakwood Intersection) Toronto.

Why:             Experience History with the winning BC Lion’s player. Shawn is a member of the Moravian Church                       

                        The Moravian Church is one of the spiritual mainstays of  the Caribbean   Canadian community

Who:              Shawn Gore. Members of the Church. School children (some have permission to be photographed and interviewed).

How:             All media invited to cover. Call if possible.   416-656-0473

For further information, please contact  Margo Harris 416-656-0473.

Issued by Stephen Weir & Associates. 416-489-5868 stephen@stephenweir.com.

Seven poets on the world's richest poetry prizes' shortlist

Called to the bar! Scott Griffin at Le Select Bistro in Toronto

 And the nominees are ...

Shortlist for Canada's largest poetry prize announced today

For many published poets the size of the Griffin Poetry Prize is much larger than the income they will ever make from selling their books.  It is therefore no wonder that the literary world takes notice when Scott and Krystyne Griffin announce the nominees for their $200,000 annual poetry prize.

The backroom of Toronto's Le Select Bistro was packed this morning with journalists, publishers and poets as Scott Griffin read out the shortlist for this year's prize.  Seven poets (4 international and 3 Canadians) are in the running for two poetry awards of $65,000 each. 

The winners of the prize will be announced June 7th in Toronto.  As well each of the seven will also each be awarded $10,000 for their participation in an evening of poetry at Toronto's Royal Conservatory (the TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning) on Wednesday, June 6th.  

Although Griffin made his fortune producing electronic products for the armed forces of the Free World and for the transportation trade, he and his wife Krystyne Griffin have a passion for  supporting the arts. They have self-funded the world's largest poetry prize since 2000. As well Scott Griffin is chairman, director and majority shareholder since 2002 of publisher House of Anansi Press/Groundwood Books.

The Shortlist poets are:

INTERNATIONAL

Night - David Harsent ( Britian )

Scott Griffin announces the nominees

The Chameleon Couch - Yusef Komunyakaa ( United States )
November - Sean O'Brien ( Britian )

Sobbing Superpower: Selected Poems of Tadeusz Rózewicz - Tadeusz Rózewicz ( Poland )

CANADIAN

Methodist Hatchet  - Ken Babstock

Killdeer - Phil Hall

Forge - Jan Zwicky

LinkedIn With Investigative Journalists - Maybe You Want To Drop Me

Stephen Weir

LinkedIn Privacy Alert - Telephone, Telegraph and Tell a Publicist



Yesterday, for the second time in a month an investigative criminal reporter has called me looking for info on people that I am linked into through the popular business social network.
This time it was concerning a case of medical fraud, and one of my Linkedin  contacts was related to a doctor arrested in the US. 
The Star was trying to reach Toronto relatives for comment. My Linkedin contact, a member of the media himself, was related directly to this doctor.
At the beginning of the month the Globe and Mail was asking for Linkedin information that would help the paper contact a woman about to be charged over an insider trading issue (gold stocks).
Their calls kicked off an internal ethical debate.  You see, I am a trained journalist, I live to write about diving, the ocean and anything we swim in. But, freelance writing journalism, being  one of the lowest paying jobs on the planet,  requires non-writing support to keep the car payments on sched.  So,  I am also a very active publicist with contacts in many different communities around the world. I work in the arts, in the Caribbean community, in our country's publishing industry and even the world of the wrongly convicted. 
One side of me wants to help out any reporter looking for assistance in any  legal way possible. The other side of me is wondering if my Linkedin connection information is subject to privacy concerns, and I should not willing give out numbers, email addresses and job information.
Background: I was quick to jump on the Linkedin bandwagon. In the early days almost everyone I approached to link agreed to sign up with me. As a result I have two accounts, one with over 1,500 connections, the other with 600 or so.  According to Linkedin I have over 9 million colleagues in terms of  first, second and third level signees.
It works both ways. Lately I have been getting Linkedin requests from real estate agents from Atlanta, investment accountants from New York and even IR experts working in Nigeria.  I weed out the insurance agents, sex trade workers and tax specialist, but,  link with almost everyone else.
So, in reality the vast majority of people on my two network are unknown to me. Do I owe these vast group of strangers some sort of privacy protection? People who become my contacts decide themselves as to what information they are going to give me, so,  should I consider their data as being public information?
Giving private information to a publicist is not like talking to a reporter off-the-record. As a journalist your secret is safe with me.  As a publicist? You must be kidding.  It would be hard to convince the police or the courts that a public relations person could "protect his sources".
In reality a publicist will sing loud, long and probably pay for the drinks (receipt please).  The world used to say the three best ways to get information out - telephone, telegraph and tell a publicist.
Question: So what did I do?  In the first case, I was actually once removed from the person being investigated for exchange irregularities.  I had no idea who she was.  I was Linkedin to this woman through a connection with the Wine Ladies radio show. Believe we were all involved in a community  fundraiser. I told the Globe the connection and left it at that.
In the case of the doctor arrested in the US, I did phone my Linkedin in contact ( I have him in my own data base ) and asked if it was alright to provide the Star with his number. He said yes. I did. They talked. Then the Star called again wanting contact information on other family members.
Given the size and scope of my data base, what will I do the next time I get a  media call? Don't know. Depends on how moral I am feeling at the time.
I have an eclectic life. I used to believe in that philosophy that says you are the sum of the five people you most hang-out with. Nowadays does that apply to Linked In friends as well? If so, maybe I should purge? Or more importantly, should you the reader, review your on-line data and flush me out of your maililng list? ( I wouldn't blame you).
(as published in Huffington Post - http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/stephen-weir/linkedin-privacy_b_1401066.html )

Samantha Francis, Andrew Westoll  and Jane Goodall at film launch

Westoll and Goodall concerned about plight of Chimps 

 

Chimpstock at Toronto's Ontario Science Centre

Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction winner, Andrew Westoll, (The Chimps of Fauna Sanctuary: A Canadian Story of Resilience and Recovery) was on hand at Toronto's Ontario Science Centre in late March to introduce the renowned wildlife researcher and primatology  activist Jane Goodall, to a standing-room-only theatre audience.  Over 250 people came to the Science Centre that evening to listen to Ms Goodall and to watch a screening of Jane's Journey, a 2010 107 minute bio-documentary filmed by Lorenz Knauer.
Both Westoll and Goodall share a concern for the plight chimpanzees.  They see the chimp as a species facing extinction.  " I now travel the world speaking on their behalf," said 75-year old Jane Goodall prior to the film screening. " I am on the road 300 days a year, speaking to people just like you! My message? We can save a species!"
Andrew Westoll's award winning book documents his stay at a private  Quebec  sanctuary where American chimpanzees who have grown up in laboratories and been used in horrific experiments  are allowed to live out their lives free of any more medical testing.
Westoll's book about these chimps made him a suitable choice to introduce Jane Goodall to a receptive Toronto audience.  At the podium he talked about how a meeting with Goodall ended up with him running madly through downtown Vancouver, looking for a bookstore where he could buy his own book!
" I simply picked up the hotel phone and asked to speak to Jane Goodall," he said.  " I went up to her room and we talked for over 45 minutes."
As the meeting between the two chimp experts was winding down,  Goodall, asked for a copy of his new book.  " It was then I realized I hadn't brought one with me."
He asked her to stay put in her room for a few minutes. The Toronto writer quickly exited the hotel and ran as hard as he could through the streets of downtown Vancouver, looking for a bookstore.  He bought his own book, and ran back to the hotel and out-of-breath, presented it to Goodall.
Before signing her own books at the Toronto event Jane Goodall took time out to thank Westoll for getting the book to her, and praised him for the work has done in writing about the rehabilitation of  lab chimps in Canada.

Stephen Weir's Flickr account

stephenweir's photostream on Flickr.

the latest photographs by Stephen Weir that have been posted on Flickr

BLOG NOTE - always think I am social media savy and then I go press the wrong button on  Flickr and all of sudden all my Flickr pictures are posted!  Use Flickr in part to make photographs available for download to the media. Semi-private, and of little interest, but will leave them up for awhile. Check out my set of fibreglass fish photographs!