Liane Neves from Brazil and Shawna Lemay from Canada exchanged cities and captured the differences between the two countries through the lenses of their cameras
By Marcel Salim
The Chamber of Commerce Brazil-Canada (CCBC), in partnership with the Consulates of Brazil in Canada and the Consulates of Canada in Brazil, presents another edition of the project “Exchanging Glances,” which brings together for the first time two female photographers. They visited the cities of Porto Alegre (RS) and Edmonton, Canada, with the challenge of portraying the culture, architecture, nature, and daily life of each place and promoting cultural exchange.
Their work is transformed into a printed book, an e-book, and exhibitions in Brazil and Canada. The initiative is in its seventh edition and aims to strengthen cultural ties between the two countries.
The photographers responsible this time are Liane Neves, a journalist from Rio Grande do Sul with over 40 years of experience, and Shawna Lemay, a Canadian writer and reader of Clarice Lispector. The Brazilian spent a week in the capital of the province of Alberta, while the Canadian spent the same period in the capital of Rio Grande do Sul.
They accepted the invitation from the CCBC and captured their impressions through the lenses of their cameras. The first contrast: in the capital of the province of Alberta – last days of summer there – the temperature was around 15°C and sunny most days. Here, it was the beginning of spring with a lot of rain in the southern part of the country.
“In this edition, the photographers focused on capturing the essence of each city through the eyes of the curious and adventurous visitor. With this project, the CCBC presents the differences and similarities of the cities of Porto Alegre and Edmonton (Canada), creating a true dialogue between them! People will be amazed by the beauty of the details in each of the photos,” explains Paulo de Castro Reis, director of Institutional Relations at the CCBC and curator of the exhibition.
Impressions and Points of View
Liane Neves wandered along the Saskatchewan River and its bridges in Edmonton, where she photographed the architecture blending the old and the modern. She braved the cold and dry climate of the Canadian city with her Nikon camera and two lightweight lenses.
She is a photographer and journalist graduated from PUCRS, with over 40 years of career. She works for major magazines in Brazil, such as Veja and Exame, and has been a correspondent for Caras magazine for 25 years. She is the author of three books about Porto Alegre, her hometown.
Shawna Lemay, on the other hand, was enchanted by the spring flowers and the architectural diversity of Porto Alegre, where she captured scenes of art and some curiosities, such as the tangle of wires on the posts of the capital of Rio Grande do Sul and the popcorn vendor who sold his products accepting payment by pix.
Two particularities that may have become “ordinary” here, but did not escape the foreign eye. Even during the rainy period, the photographer made an effort to capture the Porto Alegre sunset from various angles.
The two professionals did not know each other but connected through their images, which were selected and organized to create counterpoints to showcase the two cultures.
The Canadian is a writer and passionate about photography. Her latest novel (titled “Everything Affects Everyone”) is about a photographer who seems to be able to conjure angels with her lenses. She wrote about her photos of Edmonton for CBC News and will release a book about Edmonton and Rome. She was impressed by the beauty of Porto Alegre, where she visited the Public Library, the Casa de Cultura Mario Quintana, and the Public Market.
SERVICES:
Access complete data about the exhibition on the website: https://eventos.ccbc.org.br/olharescruzados/
Projects already carried out:
- São Paulo-Montreal (2014)
- Florianópolis-Vancouver (2016)
- Brasília-Ottawa (2017)
- Rio de Janeiro-Toronto (2018)
- Curitiba-Ville de Québec (2019)
- Brazilian Northeast-Canadian Northeast (2022)
