Three conversations—at the CCA, at the University of Toronto’s Daniels Faculty, and at MoMA—and an exhibition at Pierre-François Ouellette Art Contemporain mark the release of Phyllis Lambert’s new book, Observation is a constant that underlies all approaches.

In this collection of Phyllis Lambert’s personal photographs taken over several decades during her daily routines, her travels, or at work, observation turns into a quest to understand and reveal what might otherwise remain overlooked.

“Many persuasive reasons to be involved with photography come to mind. Surely, observation is the constant that underlies all approaches, all levels of interest, and all fascination with the medium. And from observation grows a deepening understanding of the complex interactions between art and the many diverse fields of human knowledge. My own use of the camera dates back to 1954, as I started to think about what a new building in New York—the Seagram building – could be. While in Rome during Easter that year, I began to look more closely at buildings through the lens of a camera I had barely used, observing their qualities, how they sat on the land, their form and articulation, their materials, how architectural details related to a building as a whole, and how the building related to the urban fabric and space of the city.”

The book, published by Lars Müller Publishers, is available at the CCA bookstore or directly from the publisher’s website.

Please join us on Thursday 2 March at 6:30pm in the Théâtre Paul-Desmarais for a conversation between Phyllis Lambert and CCA’s Curator of Photography and New Media, Hester Keijser. The event is also live-streamed.

On 7 March at 6:30pm, Phyllis Lambert takes part in a q&a session with three members of the Daniels Faculty—Brian Boigon, Peter Sealy, and Brigitte Shim—followed by a q&a exchange with the audience. The event is moderated by Juan Du, Dean of the Daniels Faculty. It is also livestreamed on the Faculty’s YouTube channel.

On 23 March at 6pm, the Museum of Modern Art is hosting an event with Phyllis Lambert in conversation with Elizabeth Diller and Sylvia Lavin. The event is introduced by MoMA’s Philip Johnson Chief Curator of Architecture and Design Martino Stierli and the book publisher, Lars Müller. The program is free and open to all, but capacity is limited and registration is required. More information on MoMA’s calendar.

The release of the book coincides with an exhibition at Pierre-François Ouellette art contemporain in Montréal curated by Adad Hannah, running from 15 April to 20 May.