This year, from April 1st to 30th Capture Photography Festival takes over gallery and coffee shop walls, street corners and billboards around town, positioning itself as a pivotal gathering for both photography aficionados and novices, merging traditional film and digital media into a city-wide celebration of visual art.

Capture has become an important forum for exploring how photography can challenge perceptions and reflect diverse human experiences by not only showcasing the work of photographers but also initiating a broader conversation about the role of imagery in storytelling. In the words of Emmy Lee Wall, Executive Director & Chief Curator of Capture: “During these wildly unpredictable and uncertain times, why photography? Photography has an incomparable ability to represent diverse perspectives and to amplify voices. It has been incredibly rewarding to think about the multiplicity of ideas and the subtle complexities images can evoke. It is this powerful ability to excavate the past, communicate the present, and imagine possibilities for the future that Capture Photography Festival celebrates. ”

In addition to showcasing all manner of ‘lens-based art’ created by emerging and established artists, Capture 2024 also offers a series of tours and talks. With so many shows and events happening, we suggest you consult the festival calendar (which distinguishes Exhibitions, Public Art and Events for each day of the month) to help navigate an efficient plan of action to cover as much ground as possible – and be sure to factor in our following five suggestions, below:

This week we encourage you to check out:

On Time | Pendulum Gallery
From Capture: “On Time considers the ways in which contemporary lens-based artists have challenged the inextricably linked relationship between time and photography and the traditional notion that an image captures a single moment outside the temporal flow.” This show is viewable Monday to Saturday, from 9am-5pm (until 9pm on Thursdays and Fridays). DETAILS

As Aporia | Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery
Though it has been up since January, As Aporia (Notes to a Medium), is only showing until April 14th – so if you haven’t already checked it out, then now is the time. Featuring the works of Colleen Brown, Lucien Durey, Dani Gal, Katie Kozak, Mark Lewis, Jenine Marsh, Azza El Siddique, Jalal Toufic, Elizabeth Zvonar, As Aporia considers how history, mythology, and wishful thinking entwine across media and through mediums. On view Tuesday to Friday, from 10am–5pm, and weekends from noon-5pm, until April 14th. DETAILS

Family first? | The Black Arts Centre
Featuring work by artists Chukwudubem Ukaigwe, Jade Duncanson, Iris Huongbo, Deion Squires, and Delali Cofie, this exhibition is inspired by Bell Hooks’ insights on love and family, looking at the often complicated nature of Black family life and the ways in which people sometimes hide parts of who they are from their families, highlighting the tough choice between being true to oneself and meeting family expectations. Gallery hours are Mondays and Wednesday, from 1-6pm, with an Opening Reception this Saturday, April 6th at 5pm. DETAILS

The Saboteur | Canton-sardine 沙甸鹹水埠
Titular “The Saboteur” (aka artist Wang Ningde) begins his process with photos of graffiti, “isolating the painted strokes and layering them with images of conflict he sourced from the internet.” Super interesting commentary on challenging the conventions, revolution, and rebellion. The opening reception for this artist’s inaugural solo exhibition in Canada goes down on Saturday, April 6th from 3–6pm. Regular gallery hours are Wednesday to Saturday, from noon-6pm. DETAILS

Plutonium & Silver | Cineworks

“The Atomic Photographers Guild, founded in 1987, is an international collective of photographers dedicated to making visible all facets of the nuclear age. The exhibition, Plutonium & Silver, features photography from Guild members produced since 1945 to 2024.” At the Plutonium & Silver: The Atomic Photographers Guild / Imaging the Nuclear Condition (free!) Artist Talk (Monday, April 8th from 6-7pm), photographer and Guild board member, Jesse Andrewartha, will talk about key images and the impact of these photos on understanding nuclear issues. See Plutonium & Silver at Cineworks April 8-12, from noon-6pm. DETAILS