Profile :: News
News
February 2008
Editorial Commission for Toronto Life Magazine
Toronto Life magazine has commissioned William Mokrynski to create pinhole montage works to accompany a feature article called "The Mallification of Yonge Street" to appear in the February 2008 issue. "Toronto Life wanted to convey the cacophony of signage and advertising that has recently appeared at Yonge Dundas Square and commisioned me to use my "in-camera montage" technique for the project. Despite the frigid sub-zero temperatures endured during the shoot, I believe the resulting image captures a nighttime Times Square feel that Toronto Life was looking for."
October 2007
Mokrynski becomes an "Ambassador"
William Mokrynski will be attending the FotoBild Photo Art Fair in Berlin for a second time this November. This time Mokrynski has volunteered to be an 'Ambassador' for Canadian participants to the Fair. "I really had a good experience at last year's event and I think it only makes sense to follow-up and solidify some of the contacts made." "As Ambassador, I hope my past experience at FotoBild and my familiarity of the city will help other artists participating for the first time, have a positive event."
September 2007
2 Honourable Mentions From International Photography Awards
Two honourable mentions from the Pilsner Urquell International Photography Awards, were recently awarded to William Mokrynski for his series of interiors, Endroit de vie. The Pilsner Urquell International Photography Awards, is the world's largest and one of the most prestigious international photography competitions. This year they received nearly 20,000 entries from more than 90 countries.
Pilsner Urquell International Photography Awards Site
Aug. 2, 2007
William Mokrynski to receive official accreditation for the 2007 CNE
The Canadian National Exhibition has granted official media accreditation to Canadian photo-artist William Mokrynski for the 2007 Exhibition. This will enable Mokrynski to continue his ongoing series titled Corn Dogs and Candy Apples visually exploring layered memories of childhood visits to the CNE.
“Official accreditation from the CNE is greatly appreciated as it will help continue the project into it’s 5th year, and take the work into some new territory.”
“There was an incident last year while conducting a few test exposures in the Food Building with one of my pinhole cameras. The unusual look of the camera, a little wooden box, combined with long exposures required in the dim interior raised concerns with a few visitors that the camera was some sort of peeping-tom apparatus. Security put an end to my tests, and escorted me out of the premises as I didn’t have official accreditation.”
“Hopefully people will be more comfortable with my photo activities with the official accreditation and talk to me about the project rather than being frightened away.”
This year Mokrynski plans to focus on interiors of CNE buildings, particularly the Food Building.
“The mixture of aromas found in the Food Building are smells unique to the CNE. I find them to be strong memory triggers. It could be the middle of January and I will get the waft of a certain food smell; immediately recollections of the CNE will pop into my head, triggered by that scent.”
Corn Dogs and Candy Apples Lightbox
"Innovations in Pinhole Photogrphy", Movements in Still Time Selected as 'Critics Pick' by NOW Magazine
Movements in Still time, group exhibit by international pinhole photo artists Thomas Bachler (Germany), William Mokrynski (Canada), Mabel Odessey (France) was selected as a "Highly Recommended" Critics Pick by NOW Magazine from more than 200 exhibits participating in the 2007 Contact Photography Festival, Toronto.
Movements in Still Time
Thomas Bachler, William Mokrnski, Mabel Odessey
May 2 - June 2, 2007, Opening May 2
Lonsdale Gallery, 410 Spadina Road, Toronto, 416.487.8733
A part of Contact Photography Festival 2007
Three international pinhole artists experiment with the process of representing time. Thomas Bachler (Germany) explores photography through the trigger of a gun. Shooting through a cardboard box, a pinhole camera is created and the resulting image captures a "Scene of Crime". William Morkrynski (Canada) explores travel and the formation of memory through interwoven layers within a pinhole camera, creating an image that is not always real yet fixed in our memory. Mable Odessey (France) intimately explores how sound can be expressed through light, capturing the tension, suspires and incidents of improvisation. The images resonate with the sound and atmosphere of music. Mabel Odessey will be teaching workshops, with music and the use of a pinhole camera. Contact gallery for details.
Sixth International Festival of Photography in Lodz
May 17th to 22nd, 2007
Lodz, Poland
A selection of work from William Mokrynski's series Corndogs and Candy Apples, will be included in the 6th International Festival of Photography in Lodz, Poland. Accompanying his work for the first time will be a soundtrack assembled from field recordings at locations of the photographs.
November 2006: William Mokrynski participates in Fotobild Photography Festival, Berlin Germany.
September 2006: Work from 'Corndogs and Candy Apples' featured in Festival Foto&Photo in Cesano Maderno, just outside of Milan, Italy.
May 11-June 3 2006: 'Doggie Doggie, Buffalo Buffalo' Solo exhibit at the Lonsdale Gallery, Toronto, Canada. Part of the Contact Photography Festival.
May 2006: Work featured in Festival Internazionale di Roma, Rome Italy. www.fotografiafestival.it
March 2006: William Mokrynski participates in Fotofest 2006, Houston United States.
October 2005: William Mokrynski invited to present work to the Canadian Historic Photographic Society.
November 2004: William Mokrynski exhibits work from the Footprints series, and gives an artist talk at the Atelier du Caire, Cairo Egypt.