The first Ted Witek Art Photography Book from a new series published by KA Magazine Group. THE LOST STUDIOS features work from Ted Witek’s Hotel Bogota and Fabrica Manequim series photographed in Berlin and Lisbon. All images have been previously curated by Hilda Yasseri and now edited by Allwood Agency and KA to create a spectacular 32 page soft cover, offset printed, black and white art book. Both series being photographed in spaces that now no longer exist in 2016, and thus are to Ted, his “Lost Studios”.
Book available to purchase at KASPACE – 185 Carlaw Avenue, Toronto
Allwood Gallery of Modern Art (A.G.O.M.A.), KA Bookshop, Ethical Fashion, Lifestyle Boutique and Cafe – Leslieville, Toronto.
Since the creation of KA Magazine, Kevin Allwood’s vision has been to expand the print magazine into a live retail experience in which the viewer is immersed in the world of KA. In 2015, this vision came to life with the opening of KASPACE, a “concept shop” union between culture and commerce, promoting slow shopping and reflecting wellness, creativity and lifestyle over object acquisition.
KA selected Ted Witek as the first artist to put in showcase within A.G.O.M.A. A series of eight photographs in three sizes are displayed in a mosaic style art wall, which will be home in February to the cafe portion of the space. Visitors will be able to sit and enjoy time in KASPACE while reading a magazine and being inspired by the fine art photography by Ted Witek.
Located at 185 Carlaw Avenue in Toronto, KASPACE is first and foremost a street front showroom for the brands within the KA MAGAZINE GROUP. It is home to the Allwood Gallery of Modern Art (A.G.O.M.A.), KA Bookshop, Ethical Fashion, Lifestyle Boutique and coming soon, KA Cafe. The industrial space has been completely reimagined and designed by Kevin Allwood to be a hub of creativity and inspiration in a world where he believes retail is in need of a re-birth.
Limited Edition prints of Ted Witek photographs will also be available this February 2016 online at shop.ka-space.com
Ted Continues his story telling about his lost studios: Lisbon’s Fabrica Mannequin and Berlin’s Hotel Bogota. An evening of wine and conversion with Ted and Bob Goulart, Creative Partner at Toronto’s GRIP Agency. Evening features an exhibition masterfully curated by Hilda Yasseri especially for the conversation.
This year’s exhibition marked our fifth consecutive year at the CONTACT Festival. Special thank you to MaRS, Norton Rose Fulbright, and Luisa Spagnoli Toronto. Once again, master curation by Hilda Yasseri
Ted’s continues as a contributing photographer and writer for MISC Magazine—Idea Couture’s quarterly of design thinking and innovation. The SPRING issue illustrates Ted’s advice for career development (“When making Hasenpfeffer, first you catch the rabbit‘) while the SUMMER release features his perspective on business process efficiencies (“Stop scheduling 60 minute meetings for 20 minute topics” …”Count the number of your oversight Committees and then take the square root“)….Enjoy your copy at zinio.com or a free hard copy at all Maple Leaf Lounges.
Ted’s creative business writing and photography once again are on the pages of MISC Magazine’s Winter 2015 RESET Issue. Pick up a copy in your local bookstore (or Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges) or online through Zinio (http://ca.zinio.com).
He provides his perspective on resetting the business environment through his favourite quote that “Normal is Only a Setting on the Dryer”. The editors chose two of his photographs for this issue; taken in the Mori Tower in Tokyo and the Hauptbahnhof in Köln.
Ted, in collaboration with curator and Design Director Hilda Yasseri, once again contributed to the charitable art and fashion publication Canadian Fabric.
Having just ‘retired’ after over 30 years in the pharmaceutical business (early days as a bench scientist, middle years as a clinical scientist, and the past decade as a President and CEO), I find myself being asked a spectrum of questions, especially now that I have more time for my photography. Will I be pursuing it more? Perhaps open a gallery? What about continuing to work in healthcare? When I’m presented with these questions, I launch into my litany of how I will work to develop frameworks that prepare the heath care industry for “the second half.” I explain that for far too long, proving a drug or device as safe, effective, and pure was considered the end game when, in my opinion, it is only halftime.
No one should open champagne at halftime.
Our industry is actually quite good at bridging that first “valley of death” from concept to drug. I believe we do this better than anyone; imagine the Golden Gate Bridge over that valley. Where we really do fall short is in that ‘second half’ of moving drug to integrated health and happiness. Here, that “second valley of death” is bridged with a tightrope. Some stumble across; most simply fall off. How to integrate innovation into health systems requires a new design, new strategies, new policies, new competencies.
I’ve found most people that run art galleries are more difficult to deal with than drug benefit payers trying to be convinced of a premium price for a fourth to market me-too drug. I will, however, continue to integrate all my passions, photography included, towards insuring I stay fulfilled in business, in science, and in art. It has nothing to do with balance, but synthesis. For me it is very simple: In business, the numbers I produce speak. In science, the evidence I demonstrate speaks. In art, the photographs I print speak.
More complicated perhaps are the questions I now get about how my photography influences my style in business. In a profession where it is critical to understand that the absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence, I gave it further thought.
My approach to photography may give us some insight.
I am intrigued by the concept of seeing photographically—not photographing to document, but to transform perceptions. That requires an extreme alertness to ones environment.
I am pretty good at uniquely transforming perceptions. I preach the necessity of environmental alertness, remain true to my brand, know my core competencies, and outsource the other things to those that do it better. I embrace my trusted advisor and the hard facts when I do not have it right.
I also learned many of the technical aspects of lighting. I learned enough to know I will never use artificial light in my work. My cameras and film are all I bring to photograph. Natural light is the main ingredient feeding the sensual mystery in most of my images.
I use film exclusively. Digital photographic technology is fascinating and has rightly found a dominant place in the commerce of image making. Just not myplace. Technically, it may only make a difference in a very limited number of images, and I love when I find those limited circumstances. It really is a unique product.
Not being my core competency, I collaborate with only two master printers for my work. My color printer, Carol, works between Maine and New York City. My black and white printer, Antonio, works in Lisbon (when they are not on holidays). They are an extension of my eyes. A long distance extension.
My curator is my most trusted advisor. She is a master at being direct and providing guardrails of reality to my concepts. In doing so, she brings my work to a different level with her aesthetic congruency. When I see my work displayed in a gallery or book, it’s then I realize most the importance of a team.
A photograph does not lie, per se. I have seen many in my business life talk about ‘customer focus’ without talking to customers. They speak about alternative channels without knowing the sea into which the channels empty. They paint pictures of the world that fits their product instead of being honest about how their products do and do not help our world. Yes, they are painters.
As Susan Sontag says, “the painter constructs, the photographer discloses.”
Dr. Ted Witek recently retired as President and CEO of Boehringer Ingelheim Canada Ltd, after 23 years with the corporation. He is currently a healthcare advisor, director, scholar, and photographer based in Toronto and Lisbon.
Ted recently visited Antonio José Costa in Lisbon to finalize the last printing for our upcoming shows “Bogota in Berlin in Toronto” and “You are Sleeping in Holy Rooms”.
Antonio’s retouching is not with Photoshop but with a fine brush and special dye to insure no blemishes—stunning silver gelatin prints on fiber now arrived in Toronto…. HYR
