Visages du Cap Breton is a photo exhibition by Ben Fry and Kyra Shaughnessy which explores questions of cultural identity as well as the role of art in creating links between peoples through a series of portraits and discussions with individuals of diverse heritage.

Ben Fry – Director, Cameraperson, Editor and Photographer 

Ben Fry has directed countless short films, video clips, documentaries, several of which have been selected in various festivals over the last 15 years. He has always considered his camera as a means of connecting with the Other, which led him to his passion for portraiture. Originally from France, he was immediately fascinated by the multifaceted nature of Canadian multiculturalism. After visiting Cape Breton for the first time in 2017, he realized that many ancestral cultures are still alive and that people are still struggling to maintain their languages and the customs of their ancestors. In a world where homogeneous thinking has become the norm, documenting these communities has become essential.

Kyra Shaughnessy is best known for her career as a singer-songwriter, with five albums and tours across Canada and Europe to her name. Several years of collaboration with artists of both First Nations and displaced/immigrant heritage, as well as a deepening understanding of her own background (mixed Trinidadian-Indian-Scottish-Irish-English, born and raised bilingually in Quebec) have led to a specific interest in the connection between Celtic and First Nations peoples. It seemed only natural to combine her ongoing creative research with Ben’s idea of creating a series of portraits dedicated to culturally distinct and diverse members of the Cape Breton community.