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228 | Henry VanderSpek (Old World Shoes)

Posted on November 30, 2021February 10, 2023 By Sammy Younan No Comments on 228 | Henry VanderSpek (Old World Shoes)

My Summer Lair Chapter #228: It’s Gotta Be The Shoes…Right?

So: as a science fiction fan I enjoy photography.

Because photography exists at different times exactly like a time traveler.

A photo is taken in the present but the photo is viewed in the future so often the viewer is looking at the past. And it’s only when we look at the past—sadly we can only document the past obviously we can’t document the future I think—that we must make choices. We can’t document everything.

Thus knowing we can document the past the question then becomes what do we document?

Enter Henry VanderSpek AKA Culture Snap Photography and when it comes to documenting his photography subject matter is Old World Shoes.

His latest photography exhibition recognizes some of the talented individuals behind the shoes. Old World Shoes profiles individuals and owners of independent shoe and shoe repair businesses in Toronto.

Armed with a camera and an open heart Henry visited several shoe stores talking to shoemakers about their craft, about their customers and sometimes about the future. In the exhibition hosted at the Daniels Spectrum art gallery in Regent Park you can see photography testaments and videos to cobblers, to a rare and unique skill set and the strange environments where these creative individuals bloom.

Old World Shoes is lively: it is a compelling photo exhibition that celebrates Toronto, a city powerfully populated with immigrants and hustlers, talented individuals who have dedicated themselves to their craft. And among the crafty ones is Henry.

From Jamal Shabazz to Arnold Schwarzenegger to finding your vision to honouring his Dutch heritage with all those bicycles, this My Summer Lair episode is as comfortable as an old shoe.

Culture Snap Photography @ W • T • F

Host Sammy Younan

Recorded: Friday November 26, 2021 at 11:30 am

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My Summer Lair, Podcast Tags:Culture Snap Photography, Henry VanderSpek, Jamel Shabazz, Old World Shoes, Photography, Toronto

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Previous Post: 227 | Mo Zeighami (Tehranto)
Next Post: 229 | Penny Lane (Listening to Kenny G)

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Podcast cover for My Summer Lair hosted by Sammy Younan Episode 320 with photographer Henry VanderSpek, featuring his Urban Scrawl exhibition from the Contact Photography Festival. The image shows graffiti text reading 'Bully The System' with sci-fi-style framing. 320 | Henry VanderSpek (Urban Scrawl) My Summer Lair

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