700 Queen St. W., Thursday, March 23, 1995 © Dr. Dermot McCarthy (left), 20th Anniversary Reception, March 23, 2015, (from left to right) Scott Poborsa, Christine McLean, Robyn Zolnai, Stephen Bulger, Sarah Burtscher and Allison Hitchcock.
When you think or talk about photography in Toronto, Stephen Bulger‘s name comes up right away. He opened the first photography gallery in the city on March 30, 1995 at 700 Queen Street West, moving to 1026 Queen Street West in 2004. Since that time the gallery has featured over 130 solo exhibitions, 40 group shows, represented numerous Canadian and international photographers, hosted book launches and special events, and participated in many North American and European art fairs. This anniversary exhibition features a photograph from every artist for whom the gallery hosted a solo exhibition. Stephen Bulger is also a founding member of all the institutions and organizations that have anything to do with photography. He is Past-President of the Board for the Association of International Photography Art Dealers (AIPAD), Washington, D.C.; a member of the Canadian Cultural Property Review Board; a member of the Advisory Board for the Ryerson Image Centre; and also a co-founder of CONTACT, Toronto’s photography festival.
Benoit Aquin, L’envolée, Port-au-Prince, Haïti, 2010 © Benoit Aquin, Courtesy of Stephen Bulger Gallery
Stephen Bulger is a dedicated collector and curator, a gallery owner with a vision and a passionate dealer. In an Artoronto interview in 2014, he said this about his methods: “Sometimes I bought groups of photographs, and other times just one at a time. In terms of selecting them I am looking for fascinating images. I like artists who are different from the main stream, and if I am interested in their point of view and I see a consistency and a dedication in their career, then I represent them.”
Tomasz Gudzowaty, A Thousand-Mile Trip Begins With the First Step, 2003 © Tomasz Gudzowaty, Courtesy of Stephen Bulger Gallery
Robert Frank, Isn’t It Wonderful Just To Be Alive, 1971 © Robert Frank, Courtesy of Stephen Bulger Gallery
Photography, as a medium, has changed dramatically throughout the last 20 years. “I think it has been changing all along. Initially most photography was black and white and no bigger than 16 x 20 inches. I am interested in a documentary approach, or what I now call information-based photographs. Over the years the approach changed. People started using colour, digital instead of film, and making sizes that are much larger than we were used to dealing with twenty years ago.” He is always integrating these new approaches in photography and will soon introduce a black box space in the gallery.
Elliott Ervin, Colorado, USA, 1955 © Elliott Erwitt / Magnum Photos
Sarah Anne Johnson, Bambi, 2003 © Sarah Anne Johnson, Courtesy of Stephen Bulger Gallery, Toronto and Julie Saul Gallery, NY
Stephen Bulger guides the collectors and buyers of photographs with patience and passion. He makes sure that they get the pieces they like but not just for their graphic qualities and design but also for their narrative and emotional value.
Daniel & Geo Fuchs, Conserving Animals, Ursus Maritimus, Eisbär, 1998 © Daniel & Geo Fuchs, Courtesy of Stephen Bulger Gallery
He summarised his practise for us, “The most important thing is to be committed to what you show. Galleries that are interesting are the ones that have a personality. I think the personality of the gallery should reflect the owner—the one person making all the decisions, like selecting the artists and artwork. Good galleries have a point of view, and if you’re interested in their point of view then you’ll be interested in what they present.”
He also added that sometimes at art fairs or shows, “I may not sell anything at the time but I want to impress upon them how important photography is.”
*Exhibition information: March 24 – April 25, 2015, Stephen Bulger Gallery, 1026 Queen Street West, Toronto. Gallery hours: Tue – Sat 11 – 6 p.m.