A Toronto-based photographer has received a significant endorsement from the Canadian government, as his striking macro-level photography of currency and historical artifacts is now set to be featured in Canadian embassies and government buildings across the world.
Peter Andrew Lusztyk’s journey as a photographer began approximately 25 years ago, and since then, his work has been widely recognized, earning him multiple accolades, including AACE Photographer of the Year in 2013 and a first-place win at the International Photography Awards in 2012.
Lusztyk officially founded his photography studio in 2009, and his portfolio includes high-profile corporate clients such as Apple, IKEA and Audi, to name a few.
Initially, Lusztyk tells blogTO that he was focused on commercial photography, but has since developed a passion for artistic photography for print, drawing inspiration from the large-format photography of Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky.
One of Lusztyk’s most notable collections, Collectables, is a macro-level exploration of coins, bills and stamps. Through the series, he aims to provide viewers with an “unfamiliar perspective” on everyday artifacts, and explains that the “images point to our sense of nostalgia and our desire to organize and worship the things that we covet.”
Photo by Peter Andrew Lusztyk.
At first, Lusztyk says he experimented with photographing weathered artifacts, but it was his close-up shots of coins and bills that truly resonated with him and his audience, especially one shot of the former $2 Canadian note.
“I grew up in the ’90s, so it was a very common bill you’d come across. It was almost interchangeable when buying coffee or snacks, and it was a bill everyone had in their pocket. I took a photo of that, and it just immediately stuck out as something that was very nostalgic to me, and obviously to many Canadians who grew up with them,” Lusztyk recalled.
From there, he expanded his collection to include other defunct Canadian currency, such as the penny and the $1,000 note, as well as TTC tokens and red-and-white Ontario health cards.
Photo by Peter Andrew Lusztyk.
“It really resonated with people, especially seeing it at that scale, because it’s something you might find on the ground or in a drawer. But to have it celebrated and put in a frame in a lobby or a living room, I think it really speaks to people,” he told blogTO.
The series even caught the attention of an interior designer at Global Affairs Canada, who ordered several of Lusztyk’s photographs for print. Over the past year, the artwork has been purchased for various Canadian government buildings, including Canada’s Permanent Delegation to UNESCO in Paris at Maison de l’UNESCO.
Photo by Peter Andrew Lusztyk.
The growing partnership will see his artwork soon displayed in more Canadian embassies and government buildings around the globe, including some in Asia, with the support of Canadian businesses like WallSizzle and Miller McConnell Signs.
However, due to the secure nature of these government spaces, Lusztyk says it won’t be possible to document the photographs once they are installed, as they are not open to the public. Still, he says he feels incredibly honoured to have his work featured in buildings across the world.
“I felt very humbled,” Lusztyk said. “Even the ‘people in charge’ had taken notice and were interested in working with me, so it felt really good.”
