Cameras are everywhere, and everyone seems to be using a smartphone to snap and share photos. It is quite possible that one would find more cameras (in the form of smartphones) than sacred texts at the worship services of just about every religious tradition. This project taps into these digital realities to explore the daily experiences and challenges of being a person of faith in Fredericton, New Brunswick (Canada). During the fall term of 2018, a group of Muslim and Christian university students and young adults met regularly to discuss ideas about religion and to learn about each other’s religious identities. They used mobile phone photography as a medium of exploration and conversation.

This exhibition is the result of those conversations. And the photographers would like to extend the conversation by including you in an opening night reception. Please join us to celebrate the opening of our exhibition at the Fredericton Public Library on February 7 at 6:00–8:00 pm. The photographs will be on display throughout the month of February.

About the Project

This exhibition is part of a larger project led by Dr. Roman R. Williams, a visual sociologist at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan (USA). The Interfaith Photovoice Initiative: Amplifying Voices through Photography, Interfaith Dialogues, and Immigrant Advocacy is an international study taking place in four sites: Virginia, Michigan, and New York in the United States and in New Brunswick, Canada. The project is funded by the Louisville Institute. In each location, the project is facilitated in partnership with local academic and religious leaders.

In Fredericton, New Brunswick (Canada), the project was directed by Dr. Catherine Holtmann, Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of New Brunswick. In Dr. Holtmann’s words, “this project aims to break down stereotypes about religious students and misconceptions about Muslims in order to promote better understanding and respect for diversity.”

This project uses a technique called photovoice, a participatory action research method that was introduced in the 1990s to address significant social problems. Designed to be a process that is at once authentic, analytical, proactive, and empowering, it promotes social change through photo-based narratives. Rather than pushing the attitudes of outside experts, it encourages the expression of a first-person perspective, especially for at-risk or marginalized members of society. In this way, photovoice provides a voice to those who have traditionally been unheard. Our photography exhibitions are a way to engage audiences beyond the photovoice group by presenting participants’ experiences, insights, and concerns through photography.

Related Events

In Celebration of World Interfaith Harmony Week, we are hosting three photovoice events:

An art exhibition in Grand Rapids, Michigan (4 February, 7 pm)

An art exhibition in Fredericton, New Brunswick (7 February, 6 pm)

An interfaith photovoice project in New York City (February 10, 2-4 pm).