Some may think of St. James Town and see an underserved community, but for local resident and photographer Matthew Higginson, the neighbourhood is a work of art.
An exhibit of Higginson's photos of the community, dubbed St. Jamestown 2008-10, recently opened at the Side Space Gallery.
The photographer began taking photos of his neighbourhood shortly after moving in, but it was not until a couple of years later that he realized he had the makings of an exhibit. He hopes his show will help reverse some of the negative publicity St. James Town receives from those who do not know the area well.
"When you hear about St. James Town, there's usually a negative connotation and a lot of stigmatization about the area," he said. "When you're here, you see there are a lot of beautiful things in the area, as well."
Higginson was inspired in part by the work of Vincenzo Pietropaolo, who documented the experiences of new Canadians among his many subjects. Like Pietropaolo, Higginson did not wish to gloss over his subject matter, instead choosing to show the bad along with the good.
"There are two things that need to be captured: things that need to be corrected and things that need to be appreciated," he said.
Higginson said despite the negativity that often surrounds his community there are plenty of positive signs out there for anyone willing to see them. He pointed to the influx of young people, better management of highrise buildings and the work of local councillor Pam McConnell to clean up the area as signs St. James Town is headed in the right direction.
"Buildings are changing, balconies are being repaired and that's good to see," he said. "I think my pictures have captured some of this change, but they also captured the people that exist in St. James Town and are a historic record of the community as it was a couple of years ago in the midst of these changes."
While many St. James Town residents were happy to take part in Higginson's project, he did experience some resistance. Even after he explained why he was taking photos, some were angry, calling him a cop or worse.
"It was really a two-sided thing," he said. "Some people were happy for the attention I was giving them and their neighbourhood but others were bitter about their place in life."
For many residents, St. James Town represents their first home on Canadian soil. For others, it represents a neighbourhood in which social services are woefully inadequate to meet the needs of some.
While the exhibit shows both sides of life in St. James Town, it is predominantly a moving homage to a constantly-changing community.
"There are challenges, but there are amazing people here and amazing places and things," Higginson said.
St. Jamestown 2008-10 is currently on display at the Side Space Gallery, 1080 St. Clair Avenue West, with its run lasting until Thursday, Dec. 2.