Portraits by Toronto's photo laureate Nadya Kwandibens part of city's Doors Open festival

A photography exhibit featuring portraits of Indigenous people will be on display outside Toronto City Hall for the next two months.

Nadya Kwandibens, who is Toronto's photo laureate,recently had portraits from her Red Chair Sessions seriesinstalled at Nathan Phillips Square as part of both theContactphotography festival and Doors Open Toronto.

Kwandibens is Anishinaabe (Ojibway) from Animakee Wa Zhing #37 First Nation (formerly Northwest Angle) in northwestern Ontario.

The installation features nine 2.3-metre tall portraitsphotographed in and around Toronto.

"Some of the portraits, they really do look like they're larger than life," she said.

Her Red Chair Sessions series featured 35 prominent Indigenous community members, includingjournalist and authorTanya Talaga and fashion designerSage Paul.

She said she felt it resonatedwith people.

"Red chair, to me, represents Indigenous peoples' connection to the land, where we come from, the places and different nations that we visit," Kwandibens said.

"That red, that blood colour, a connection to our ancestors."

She said she thinks of the sessionsas visiting with people and getting to know them, thereby creating a safe space for her subjects to relax and be themselves.

Talaga said Kwandibens has taken one of her favourite headshots which she'll be using on the jacket of hernext book.

"She's a master of what she does and the stories she tells with her photographs are so incredible and beautiful," said Talaga.

"I think it's important to have, especially, you know an Anishinaabe woman,she sees you for who you are."

She recalled Kwandibens brought the red chair to her home in the east end in an Uberand then they carted it to the beach.

"My daughter had to come along as well and help us carry the chair to the water," she said.

Having lived in the areafor over 25 years, Talaga said Lake Ontario is a special place for her.

Hidden histories theme

Doors Open is an annual event where buildings of architectural, historic, cultural, and social significance including some that may not otherwise be open to the public offer free access.

Jeanne Holmes,Toronto's manager of programming for city cultural events,saidthis year'sDoors Opentheme is Hidden Histories, which encompasses the stories that aren't told or widely known about the city.

For example, the area that's now Nathan Phillips Square, she said,was a neighbourhood that was a receiving point for newimmigrants from the 1890s through to the1950s.The land was thenexpropriatedto buildthe new City Hall and Nathan Phillips Square.

"Sowe're doing site walks that sort of talk about the different elements of the square and give people like a little bit of insider knowledge about things that they might not necessarily know, literally are happening under their feet," said Holmes.

Liz Zeppa, who works with Doors Open,said Kwandibens's body of work not only aligns with thetheme of Hidden Histories, but advances the discourse of reconciliation and Indigenous people as stewards of our lands.

"I'm just happy to move forward with it because it's just such a beautiful body of work to present," she said.

Kwandibens's portraits will be on display atNathan Phillips Square until June 25. They will also be highlighted during City Hall's participation in Doors Open May 25-26.