The Family Camera invites you to see family photographs differently. Tucked away in a box, framed on the wall, or saved to the cloud, personal photos are all around us in abundance. For Canadians, family photographs are often linked to stories of migration. Whether recent or in the distant past, over short or long distances, international or even within Canada, photographs play an important role in these experiences. From departures and arrivals to everyday moments and milestones, they capture these journeys and keep us connected; even the family photos that are lost or destroyed along the way can still linger in our imaginations.

Exploring the relationship between photography and the idea of family, The Family Camera looks at family photographs as a cultural practice through the lens of migration. It considers the social, political, and technological influences that impact how we conceptualize and represent family.

Cultural shifts, such as same sex marriage and transnational adoptions enhance our notion of family, while the arrival of Polaroid cameras, smart phones, and the digital age have transformed the moments we capture and how we share them. With nearly every photograph featured in this exhibition coming from a Canadian home, The Family Camera sheds light on how family photos reflect and shape our sense of self, family, community, and nation.