Michael Cullen: The Last Brick 

15 April - 19 June, 2011

Though a pioneer in digital photography in Canada, like many of his peers, Michael Cullen grew up using Kodachrome film. Kodachrome is renowned for its rich, vivid colours, the realism it captures and its archival durability.  The unforgiving nature of the film tests photographers' skills, and only a confident photographer can use it properly. Due to plunging demand as a result of the digital era, Kodak recently discontinued the film and announced that the mid-western United States photolab "Dwayne's Photo" in Parsons, Kansas would be the last able to process a roll. With a deadline of December 30th, Kodachrome film became a thing of photographic history.

"The film took some of the greatest pictures of the 20th century," says Cullen. "Kodachrome is like Frank Sinatra. So many people's memories are attached to his songs. Kodachrome is like that. It was the film for many generations."

When Cullen learned of the Dec. 30 deadline he decided to make his own trip to Kansas and shoot the entire trip using Kodachrome. He bought one of the last bricks (a package of 20 rolls) of Kodachrome film in Toronto and left for his voyage in November. "I wanted to relive film," he said. "Whatever I saw that interested me I photographed. All I did was shoot film for nine days."

The result is this exhibition featuring 20 of the photographs. 
With notes from the Peterborough Examiner. 

Watch a video about this exhibition by clicking here.