The Celebrity Persona: The Black Star Collection at Ryerson University

The Celebrity Persona explores the notion of the constructed portrait using photographs from Ryerson’s Black Star Historical Black & White Photography Collection. The digitally reproduced photographs in the exhibition speak to the concept of the constructed nature of photographic portrayal while paying particular attention to the staged celebrity persona, as well as to the less controlled moments captured by the camera which provide insight into an individual’s personality and character.

The concept of the unmediated image has been fundamental to photojournalism since its early beginnings; through it news is conveyed in a way that would not be possible through the written word. By delving into areas such as politics, science, music, religion and the arts, and in keeping with the character of the collection, The Celebrity Persona proposes to examine portraiture from the photojournalistic perspective.

Curated by Valérie Boileau-Matteau