Gabriel Safdie salutes
the women of the world

A photo tribute to womanhood in its endless array of predicaments and expressions

By Byron Toben

Westmount’s own Gabriel Safdie has issued his 2018 – and possibly last – annual photo calendar. Like last year’s, this artistic work is featured here in digital form. This comes in handy as the slick paper version measures in at 11 inches by 16.

The current theme features women from around the world in photos taken on his many business trips to dozens of ports of call. The cover shows an elderly lady from Mexico – the theme from 2017 – and proceeds through the 12 months of 2018 with ladies of various ages from Bangladesh, Thailand, New Mexico, Laos, The Philippines, Myanmar, Cuba, Mali, Columbia, India and China, before ending back in Stanstead, Quebec where Mr Safdie sustains an art gallery.

As a bonus there are also smaller photos on one page of future year 2019 with four women from Austria, Kazakhstan, Mexico and England.

Readers can learn more about the many cultural activities of Mr Safdie in earlier WestmountMag.ca articles:
Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)
Routes of Slavery, standout show of the year
Local artists reveal other talents

Gabriel Safdie on the images featured in his digital photo calendar for 2018:

“In compiling a volume of portraits for a book project this year I was strongly impressed by what fine document portraiture can provide in expressing the nuanced cultural facets of humanity.”

“Throughout the ages women have formed movements and fought battles to gain an equal footing with their male counterparts. With the current wave of women seeking accountability and justice in the face of the abuse they have been suffering under men’s intimidation through dominance, I have been inspired to dedicate this year’s calendar to the bravery and dignity women have shown in confronting all they have suffered.”