Arrested—Hong Kong by Saša Petricic. Photo: Sarah Crookall.
The fiery eyes of a Hong Kong protestor directly catch a Canadian’s camera lens with remarkable timing, revealing an expression suggesting a jumble of anger and pain. The moment depicts the young man just as he is tackled by a group of armed police officers. His right arm twists behind his back while an officer restrains him with a rifle. In front of the protestor, another officer’s dark black combat boots are standing inches from his wincing face, atop bright blue-and-yellow-tiled steps. The apparent contrasts are on full display.
Rush Hour—Pyongyang, North Korea by Saša Petricic. Photo: Sarah Crookall.
Saša Petricic, a CBC senior correspondent, tells a gallery-goer that while he prefers to capture his subjects close up, most people eventually let their guard down. At his exhibit Innocent Bystanders, currently on display at Studio Sixty Six, the curious viewer asked Petricic how people appear so human in the images even though there is a camera between them. Petricic explained that by observing body language, he can sometimes get a glimpse into another’s inner world of feeling. For example, another photo shows a woman peering from a train’s window in North Korea with fear and curiosity.
Market Sleeper—Udaipur, India by Saša Petricic. Photo: Sarah Crookall.
The walls of photos document the everyday realities of people in often-oppressive conditions in countries like North Korea, China, India, and Nepal. Petricic has described an interest in depicting people affected by some of the most devastating news stories over the long term or parts of stories that don’t make headlines. These innocent bystanders, according to Petricic, are “navigating a world beyond their control.” He describes being compelled by “the glint or gloom in their eyes,” which “speaks volumes.”
Red Army TV by Saša Petricic. Photo: Sarah Crookall.
When looking at the images in Innocent Bystanders, the framing and bold colours immediately stood out to me. The impact of natural sunlight and other weather conditions are used to their full effect. The compositions alone are beautiful, but when combined with often very raw human faces, the exhibit depicts the complexity and universality of emotional coping across various locales. Overall, the vibrant photojournalism in this exhibit confronts the viewer with not only distant realities but an unsuspecting beauty, presented through bold use of framing, colour, and contrast.
Saša Petricic’s Innocent Bystanders is displayed at Studio Sixty Six until August 6.
