Eternal and eloquent

Gregory Varano's still photographs command local movie screens

Perhaps the unimaginable has occurred - the film industry has reached out to support the lowly fine artist. Even more surprising is the story of a theatre head - Mr. Jeff Gittens to be exact - who has been trying over the last few seasons to make the exorbitant ticket prices match the entertainment provided. He's done this by calling upon various photographers to exhibit their work on screen before the movie begins. This session premieres Toronto's own Gregory Varano and his flirtation with the divine.
This month at six of Toronto's revue cinemas, 25 of Varano's works will be cycled on a larger-than-life screen. For much less than the price of a seat at the circus-like Paramount cinemas, you can enjoy a glimpse of an art gallery and a glimpse of Hollywood all in one shot. It's the perfect preparation for your body, mind, and soul before the movie begins and sure beats any nonsense such as celebrity trivia and over-the-top Telus commercials.
I'll take the art any day, thanks.
Varano is somewhat of a perfectionist when it comes to the craft of photography. Choosing the analogy of birth to describe the thrill of developing his own photographs in the secret, womb-like darkroom, Varano never crops, digitizes or alters his work once developed. Not only does he disapprove of the quality variation when such tricks of modernism are implemented, but he feels he has cheated himself of the true challenge which each dedicated photographer must face, that is - to use the full frame while taking the photo, not after. It's that moment of snapping when the artistry emerges, not in the post-production phase.
Inspired by the marriage between natural and man-made environments, Varano shows an inherent respectfulness towards the environment. "We misuse the land", says Varano. "We build factories where we shouldn't... just look at the way we build subdivisions, we wreck the land just so we can mass produce what looks like ant colonies from above."
For Varano, photography is a way of really looking at the positive ways we inhabit the earth, the ways in which we enhance or accentuate the environment, adding the human to the divine. The photographs featured in this unique "exhibition" were taken in Ontario, Quebec, Greece, Italy and Cuba.
When asked about his favourite photo, Varano cites a near miracle - a cross (no pun intended) between a trick of light, cloud, and prayer. Or was it even a trick at all?
With this "lourdes-like" experience exhibited in the show, patrons can decide for themselves what they see, nevertheless, it is hard to deny that a cross is there - in the sky - for no apparent reason. Is it our religion that shapes our perceptions of clouds or would someone devoid of faith see the same shape and claim it to be a cross too?
Whatever disparate parties may claim, it's a good pre-movie conversation, much more stimulating than a lot of garbage and gossip you hear before the show.
With photographers such as Paul Strand, W. Eugene Smith, and Edward Weston as his mentors, Varano went to the Humber College of Applied Arts after an inspired high-school teacher saw his gift for the image. Hating the prospect of having to study sculpture and work with the messiness of clay with the rest of the class, Varano sought an alternative art and, as they say, the rest is history.
While living in Toronto, Varano has exhibited with Gallery 7 as well as at Indigo's Book Store and Cafe and the famous Contact Photography Festival three years in a row. He is also a two-time winner of the Focus Toronto Photography Competition. He's also exhibited in Florence, Italy and plans to move to Tuscany for the summer where he'll teach at the Tuscany School of Photography.
Perhaps next winter we'll be shivering in our movie seats waiting for Vanilla Sky part II and we'll catch a Varanovian glimpse of the glorious Tuscany.
It'll be a sight for sore eyes.


Gregory Varano On-Screen shows at the Kingsway, Revue, Paradise, Royal, Music Hall and Fox cinemas until February 15. Call 416-523-7045 for details.

Publication Date: 2002-01-20
Story Location: http://tandemnews.com/viewstory.php?storyid=833