Michel Lambeth

Michel Lambeth
Born	Thomas Henry Lambeth (1923-04-21)April 21, 1923 Toronto,Ontario
Died	April 9, 1977(1977-04-09)(aged 53) Toronto, Ontario
Known for	Photographic study of Toronto

Michel Lambeth(April 21, 1923 – April 09, 1977) was a Canadian photographer. He made an in-depth photographic study of Toronto during the 1950s and was one of the country's leadingphoto-journalistsduring the 1960s.

Biography

Thomas Henry Lambeth was born in Toronto in 1923.After serving in theCanadian Armed Forces(1941–1944), he studied art in London and Paris (where he changed his name to “Michel” ).In 1952, he returned to Canada an artist with a wife and an as yet undetermined path in making art. He worked at a day job as a clerk at City Hall in Toronto and experimented with film at night.

In 1955, he took up photography with aRolleiflex(2¼ sq. format) camera and inspired by Toronto'sKensingtonandSt. Lawrence Marketdistricts, began an intensive study of the vibrant street life of Toronto.From 1956 to 1958, he worked with aLeica(35 mm) camera.His heroes in photography were individuals such asHenri Cartier-BressonandBrassai,and like them he sought to discover “the decisive moment” (as Cartier-Bresson called it in his landmark 1952 book,The Decisive Moment) in his subjects through his camera.His photographic work was described as European in style, conveying a human interest story, compassionately shown and told.

In 1972, he said about his work:

“After six years in Europe, returning to Canada turned me back to the streets of Toronto where I had grown up. The first images were extremely nostalgic. I photographed the children and grandchildren of the Macedonians, the Greeks, the English, the Irish, the Scottish, who had come to Toronto — just as my father did — about 1910. I photographed my coequals as though one day they would suddenly disappear — as I had, momentarily — to war in Europe or elsewhere.”

At the same time, he continued writing fiction. In 1959, he left his job working for the city and became a freelance photojournalist full-time.He was published inLife,Star WeeklyandMaclean's,as well as becoming a reviewer for magazines. He also began in 1960 photographing the Isaacs Group: artists affiliated with theIsaacs Gallerysuch asMichael Snow.

In 1962 to 1964, he photographed the community of the parish of St. Nil,Gaspé,Quebec, forStar Weekly,which did not publish the photos as they were deemed too grim and critical.The negatives were acquired later by theNational Film Board's Still Photography Division.In 1965, Lambeth had a solo exhibition at the Isaacs Gallery.In 1967, he published a collection of historical photographs which turned out to be the work of Toronto City photographerArthur Gossin his book,Made in Canada.In 1968, although the Star Weekly ceased publication, his work was included in group shows in the U.S.A. and France and in 1969, he was given a solo show at the National Film Board (today the Canadian Photography Institute at the National Gallery of Canada).

In 1972, he reacted to the hiring of an American chief curator at theArt Gallery of Ontarioand, along with others, chained himself to office furniture in the premises then occupied by the gallery to gain attention in the media. In 1973, he worked for the Toronto Free Theatre as an associate artist but the fee was meagre. He continued his involvement in cultural politics, often against the Art Gallery of Ontario, protesting the Henry Moore Sculpture Centre, and a photography show organized by the Extension department, as well as protesting the National Film Board's Bicentennial project. In 1976, he found himself unable to find work and went on social assistance.

Legacy

Lambeth died in 1977, leaving behind an archive of "thousands of negatives".

After his death, theNational Film Board's Gallery in Ottawa hosted a tribute to his work.A write-up inThe Ottawa Citizencalled Lambeth "an independent photographer in Canada before that was acceptable or even respectable."The Ottawa Journalwrote that "Lambeth produced a sensitive social document of the lives of working class people, revealing their inner strength and dignity."

Library and Archives Canadahosted a majorretrospectivein 1986,Michel Lambeth: Photographer,curated by Michael Torosian.In celebration of the show, in 1987, Michael Torosian published the limited edition bookMichel Lambeth: The Confessions of a Tree Taster,a memoir by Lambeth of his youth, his discovery of Europe, love and art. In 1989,Maia-Mari Sutnikfor theArt Gallery of Ontariocurated a large overview of his work as well as the accompanying catalogue,Michel Lambeth: Photographerwith tributes byJohn Boyle,James Reaney,Joyce Wieland,andAvrom Isaacs.To celebrate the key role of the Isaacs Gallery and the artists associated with Avrom Isaacs and as part of a larger show titledIsaacs Seenconsisting of four tributes to Isaacs in partnership with theUniversity of TorontoArt Centre, Hart House (Justina M. Barnicke Art Gallery), and theTextile Museum of Canada,the Art Gallery of Ontario did an adjunct two-person show in 2005 titledIsaacs Seen: Two on the Sceneof Michel Lambeth and Tess Taconis.

In 2014, Canada Post released seven stamps honouring master photographers. Among them was Michel Lambeth`s photograph ofSt. Joseph's Convent Schooltaken in 1960.

References

Bibliography

• Cousineau-Levine, Penny (2004).Faking Death: Canadian Art Photography and the Canadian Imagination.Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press.RetrievedDecember 6,2020.
• Bassnett, Sarah; Parsons, Sarah (2023).Photography in Canada, 1839–1989: An Illustrated History.Toronto: Art Canada Institute.ISBN978-1-4871-0309-5.