The Italian Cultural Institute in Toronto will host the opening event of Vincenzo Pietropaolo’s photo exhibition ‘Ritual’ on Thursday. The initiative has been organised in cooperation with the Mariano Elia Chair in Italian-Canadian Studies at York University to celebrate the publication of the book entitled ‘Ritual’ by the Italian documentary photographer.
The artist, who will participate in the event, is showcasing 150 photos spanning across 46 years focusing on the Holy Friday procession that takes place every year along the streets of Toronto’s Little Italy, the largest neighbourhood of Italian migrants in the world. The procession, which has actors who portraying the Stations of the Cross, is an event profoundly rooted in the community. Mr Pietropaolo has participated in it for over 40 years, observing how it has developed from a small parish gathering to a huge assembly rallying thousands of people every year.
Born in Italy, but currently living in Canada, the documentary photographer has always focused on documenting migrants’ experiences, the cultural facets of the working class and issues of social justice.
