'Canadiana' was my first solo exhibition held at the StFX Art Gallery in 2019. 

Revised: The St.FX Art Gallery and its artists associated acknowledges the historical oppression of lands, cultures and the original Peoples in what we now know as Canada and fervently believes the Arts contribute to the healing and decolonizing journey we all share together. Further, this exhibition respects and affirms the inherent and Treaty Rights of all Indigenous Peoples across this land.


"It is always a pleasure to see the rise of new talent and even more so when the StFX Art Gallery has the opportunity to exhibit the work of a budding artist. Canadiana is a well-crafted installation that combines formal pictorial concerns with a selection of national imagery. Nic Latulippe creates a remarkably gentle space in which we can simultaneously rest, recharge and consider our Canadian identity."

- Bruce Campbell, Gallery Director


Welcome to Canadiana, a collection of photographs that celebrate and highlight some of our renowned landscapes, animals and environments. 

Having driven across Canada 5 times, these travels have provided me with the opportunity to bask in pictorial beauty.  I chose to document the many landscapes through the lens of my camera. 

Each image tells a story and in combination creates associations.  My written narratives allow me to further guide the story. I urge you to read each written narrative with all photographs. 

Within this exhibition I comment on the ongoing development of our Canadian Culture, and the traditions that you and I and the Indigenous People's bring to this story.  The images in the gallery will trigger our dialogue and a multiplicity of meanings. 

This is my ode to Canada – it is pure Canadiana. 

Image No. 1,2,3,4. 

My Magnum Opus

-Location (left to right) : Radium B.C., Montreal QC, Kananaskis, AB, Canmore AB

-40” x 60” Photopaper

-These 4 images are the pinnacle of my current photographic abilities. Not just with camera settings, but to also have an environment that supports these settings to its highest degrees, creating beautiful photographic masterpieces. Not only are these images my personal favourites, but like a Magnum Opus, there are some of my most celebrated pieces by my friends, family, and individuals who support my work. Further, similar to a Magnum Opus, I believe in order for great work to be achieved, external factors must be coinciding together; it cannot be forced, it takes patience - a virtue lacking in today’s society. These images came to be so naturally through patience and practice of my craft forming some of the best photographs I have ever taken. Currently, these 4 images are my Magnum Opus. 

Image No 5, 6, 7.

Kings of Canada

-Location: Bison = Nova Scotia / Elk = Banff / Grizzly = British Columbia

-24” x 36” Photopaper

-Over the years, I have shot a lot of wildlife, especially growing up in Canmore. But when thinking of Canada, these 3 animals immediately come to my mind. All 3 relatively rare animals to find, yet, all perceived as some of Canada’s most notorious. These 3 images are also symbolic as home for me, hence, these 3 animals can be found within Alberta. If you haven’t noticed already, the prints are specifically curated so that the animals head placement matches the side they are on  - this symbolizes how these animals are found around me in Alberta. It is only fitting that the 3 animals share the space on the wall together harmoniously. 

Image No 8, 9.

K-Country Duality

-Location: Kananaskis Country Alberta.

-24” x 40” Photopaper

-Both of these images were taken on the same road, with the same camera, same lens, the same settings and only taken a minute apart. These images represent the duality found within Canada; whether it is the opposite weather or landscapes found within a 180 spin – these images celebrate how different the landscapes within Canada can be within one’s point of view. A parallel between East and West. The name of these pictures represents what my friends and I called Kananaskis growing up – K-Country. 

Image No 10.

Maritime Icon

-Location= Peggy’s Cove

-24” x 36” Photopaper

-Peggy’s Cove in my opinion is such a strong representation of the Maritimes. To be truthful, Peggy’s Cove barely made the cut into the gallery because the purpose of this exhibit was to truly demonstrate the unseen and unsaturated tourist areas within Canada. But, after much consideration, I came to the conclusion Peggy’s cove is so symbolic of the Maritimes, it had to be included- especially for a westerner like me. Further, this image of Peggy’s Cove is unlike any others I have seen before – it is unique and different enough to earn its place within the exhibition.

Image No 11.

2018, a Maritime Odyssey

-Location = Somewhere near Duncan’s Cove.

-24” x 36” Photopaper

-One afternoon, myself and my friends Ross and Brett thought we succeeded in reaching Duncan’s Cove. Turns out we broke into someone’s backyard thinking it was Duncan’s Cove. Regardless, it made for an incredible picture. The title of the image is metaphorical in a few instances: the first being one of the most iconic Sci-Fi Movies of all time made in 1968: ‘2001, a Space Odyssey’. Watching this movie for the first time is one of the fondest memories I have living with Ross in my second year at University. Also, it goes without question this image could be straight out of a scene from the movie. The second instance is that Brett is a born and raised Maritimer who has driven across the country with me. This image is symbolic in the sense that Brett has both seen my life in Canmore, as well as my life in Nova Scotia; a fusion of two completely different worlds. This image demonstrates the collision of both of my two close friends, together on a Maritime cove as if it were a scene in ‘2001, a Space Odyssey’, hence, ‘2018, a Maritime Odyssey’. 

Image No 12.

Alone

-Location = Somewhere in Saskatchewan.

-24” x 40” Photopaper

-As much as I enjoy driving across the country, Saskatchewan is undoubtedly one of the emptiest parts of the drive. But when you do come across abandoned farmhouses like this, it makes for beautiful pictures. Purposely, this image is alone on the wall, as the title suggests. Further, whenever I’m driving through Saskatchewan there are very little cars around you, making you feel alone in never ending fields of wheat and grass. Symbolically, this picture represents the emotions I have when traveling across Saskatchewan, as well as a representation of the abandoned farmhouse; alone. 

Image No 13.

Home – Part 1

-Location= Canmore, Alberta. 

-24” x 40” Photopaper

-Parallel with ‘Home – Part 4’ (below), this image is a representation of my home in Canmore. The photograph was taken while leaning to my left, my legs in the image with my fisheye lens giving the image a sort of distortion. 

The old Canmore Engine Bridge crosses over the mighty Bow River that used to support the railway line that once served Canmore’s coal mine industry in the 1800’s. As kids, we always climbed the bridge although illegal, and to me at the time, it was a normal thing to do – but to other who are unfamiliar with the view, it’s absolutely breathtaking. One day I took my camera up and decided to shoot a photo to share it with unfamiliar audiences. This is an image I consider home.

Image No. 14,15.

Home - Part 2 & 3

-Location= Banff Alberta and Field B.C.

-40” x 24” Photopaper

-Both of these images are completely different, yet, hone very many similarities in my eyes. Both images were photographed in completely different locations, at different times of days, in different weather/temperatures, with different people around me, photographed 2 years apart, yet they still strike me as eerily similar. I racked my brain trying to figure out what the similarity was, and I think it’s that I took the images with individuals who truly supported me as an artist and came along for the adventures. Both images contain aspects of home, not just the physical environment, but the image on the left contains a housing for boats, and on the right a garage for cars. Symbolically, I feel as though as far as you go anywhere in the world, we always come back to that sense of comfort eventually – and to me part of that is the individuals who have always supported my creative side. Furthermore, I believe Canada doesn’t feel like home without snow in the winter time. Snow has always surrounded me every winter time, it is essential for true Canadian winters. It’s iconic to Canada in its entirety, and what makes our country home.  

Image No 16.

Home – Part 4

-Location= Halifax, Nova Scotia.

-24” x 40” Photopaper

-Parallel with ‘Home - Part 1’ (above), this image is a representation of my home in Nova Scotia. The photography was taken while leaning to my right, my legs in the image with my fisheye lens giving the image a sort of distortion. 

Taken on the coast of Halifax in Portuguese Cove, I was just sitting with my camera gear beside me at my friend Oli’s cottage and was thinking to myself about how far I’ve driven to university, and how much the scenery has changed. This coast is special; hence, the cottage lies on the coast where the waves crash 365 days a year, without a neighbour in sight for miles. This image is symbolic of the distance I’ve traveled and is parallel to the scenery of ‘Home – Part 1’. This is an image I consider home.

Image No 17.

3:35am Canadiana

-Location = Banff, Alberta

24” x 36” Photopaper

-One evening at around 12pm, my friends and I were hanging out at a bar playing pool. My aurora borealis notification went absolutely nuts on my phone, it was finally happening; the northern lights would be visible in Banff tonight. My buddy Wyatt and I quickly left, grabbed our camera gear and drove out to the darkest place possible so no light pollution from the town would ruin our pictures. We ended up taking photos from 1am to about 4am, it was so bright we didn’t need flashlights to see where we were walking. As we were walking, we found this inukshuk on the beach and this photo was captured at 3:35am. I didn’t sleep at all when I got home because of how excited I was about finally witnessing one of the greatest lights shows I have ever seen in my life.

Image No 18, 19, 20, 21, 22.

The Dawn/Dusk Series

-Locations (clockwise) = Airsaig N.S., Airsaig N.S., Banff A.B., Saskatchewan S.K., Vancouver B.C. (center)

-16” x 20” Photopaper

-All images were taken before 7am or past 7pm. I’m going to let the images do the talking in this section – it’s open for interpretation. 

Moving Image – No 23. 

Canadiana – Inspired by Sean Brown

-Inspired by one of my favourite Canadian based visual artists (Sean Brown), this moving picture of Canadiana is digitally presented to convey the constant changes within Canadian landscapes. This short clip is 42 seconds in length, revealing the multitude of minimal changes that occur based in a stationary location over an extremely short amount of time. This visual is meant to be watched in its entirety, imposing the audience notices all the subtle changes occurring throughout the clip. 

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