Canada. Contemporary Canadian Photography from the Collection of the National Film Board. Foreword by Hugh MacLennan. Introduction by Martha Langford.

Contemporary Canadian Photography (1984) is a seminal survey of the photographic arts in Canada, documenting the transition of the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) from a producer of wartime propaganda and documentary to a premier collector of fine art photography. The book showcases the depth of the NFB's Still Photography Division collection.

Core Components and Perspective

1. The Institutional Context

The volume celebrates the collection built by the NFB’s Still Photography Division, which acted as the de facto national gallery for photography before the medium was widely accepted by traditional art museums. It highlights how the Canadian government became a major patron of avant-garde and documentary photographers.

2. Foreword by Hugh MacLennan

The celebrated Canadian novelist Hugh MacLennan provides a literary perspective on the images. He frames the photography as a vital part of the Canadian search for identity, suggesting that these "frozen moments" help define a sprawling and often fragmented nation.

3. Introduction by Martha Langford

Martha Langford, then-Executive Producer of the Still Photography Division, provides the critical and historical framework. She discusses:

• The evolution of the NFB from the "Gripsonian" documentary tradition (socially useful images) to more personal and conceptual expressions.

• The curatorial philosophy of selecting works that push the boundaries of the medium.

• The challenges of representing a diverse geographical and cultural landscape.

Visual Themes

The book features work from over 100 photographers, categorized by the shifting styles of the 1960s, 70s, and early 80s:

• Social Documentary: Candid observations of urban life, labor, and the changing face of Canadian communities.

• Landscape and Environment: Beyond "calendar" views, these images explore the relationship between the vast Canadian wilderness and human encroachment.

• Conceptual and Experimental: Works that play with infrared film, collage, and abstract compositions, signaling photography's move into the realm of "high art."

Key Photographers Represented

While the collection is vast, it includes quintessential works by figures such as:

• Lynne Cohen (interior spaces)

• Robert Bourdeau (precisionist landscapes)

• Michel Lambeth (Toronto street life)

• Charles Gagnon (abstract explorations)

Summary Takeaway

This book is the definitive record of a golden age in Canadian photography. It captures the moment when Canadian photographers moved away from simply "recording" the country and began "interpreting" it, marking the establishment of a sophisticated, homegrown visual language supported by a unique national institution.