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Tony Wallace’s slow photography offers a unique perspective on the city

After a spinal injury left Tony Wallace in a wheelchair, he took up photography as a kind of physical therapy. 

“Being out exploring Toronto’s streets, ravines and parks was an interesting way to get exercise and develop a new creative outlet,” he says. “Before my injury I was a musician but the injury severely affected my hand function making playing guitar and piano impossible. The need to create, however, remained. Photography fills that need.”

Now, you might run into Wallace on one of his frequent photo expeditions in the city, focusing on the beauty of everyday life. Often, he travels with longtime friend Julian Mendl and his dog Banjo to help him overcome any accessibility obstacles, such as a snow drift or a curb. But being in a wheelchair slows him down, he says, contributing to his unique perspective on the city’s streets, parks and personalities.

“As a fifth generation Torontonian I feel a deep kinship with this city and consider the images I create to be part of a continuum, capturing moments in time in the evolution of Toronto,” he says. “As I move around the city I am keenly aware that, for 200 years, my ancestors, and millions of others, walked the same streets in search of their own version of beauty.” 

On Saturday, (October 29), he’s helping NOW Magazine settle into our new neighbourhood by taking over our Instagram account. This week, we left our Church Street digs behind and moved into the Centre for Social Innovation near Queen and Spadina.

Tony-Wallace.jpg

Follow along @nowtoronto, and see more of Wallace’s thoughtful work on his Instagram account (@tonywallace416). He also recently crowd-funded his forthcoming book, Toronto Black & White, featuring all black and white images of the city.

Interested in taking over the NOW Instagram account for a day? Get in touch.

kater@nowtoronto.com | @katierowboat

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