Nothing to Break the Light of the Sun

Nothing to Break the Light of the Sun explores life on the prairies of North America. Photographer Tim Smith has spent 18 years documenting prairie and rural life including 16 years documenting the Hutterites; communal anabaptists who live apart from mainstream society in their own communities throughout western Canada and the northwestern United States.
Out of necessity, Smith has embraced the photojournalism adage "find stories in your own backyard." He is passionate about using time in long-term projects to create extra layers of intimacy and depth.

The exhibition unfolds in three sections.

The first section focuses on rural life on the Canadian prairies, where summers are short, hot and beautiful. Through photos of farming, powwow, summer fairs, rodeo and other pieces of the prairies, viewers get a glimpse into life in the middle of Canada, outside the big cities.

Section two showcases the beauty of community in Hutterite colonies, where members all work together for the good of the community. Smith's dedication to building relationships within these insular communities reveals the nuance and complexity of colony life.

The third section, Chaff, centers on the chaotic beauty of harvest through gritty, colourful and detailed portraits of chaff - the discarded byproduct of harvested crops. These images are made through trips to the fields during harvest, where Smith becomes immersed in the dust, stalks, soil, and debris hurled into the air by the machines gathering the crops that sustain us.