Deborah Barndt

My photographic path has not followed a conventional one of producing fine art photography for gallery showings. But I have had opportunities over past decades to mount exhibits that serve social purposes, educating viewers about environmental, labour, and food issues. I am most fulfilled when these collections serve as catalysts for dialogue and collective analysis, stimulating viewers to share their own stories around the issues represented, and to consider ways that we might act – individually and collectively – to make changes that respond to social justice values.

The exhibits on display here were often part of larger research or political advocacy projects – from the Free Trade struggles of the 1980s to fights for environmental or food justice in the 1990s. More recently, they have become more reflective of past work (Cross Pollinations and From Spark to Fire) or of deeply personal experiences and contemplations (Wabi Sabi).

To view all the photos in each exhibit, just click on the first image. You will also find an overall description or exhibit text, a list of the sites where it has been on display, and, in many cases, and information about its potential use for groups who would like to use it for their own purposes.