Photographer snaps (up) Entrepreneurial Award
It takes a particular talent to excel in photography: intuition, the ability to capture the essence of an emotion or the intensity of an action. To evoke a story in visual form. It takes persistence and a relentless drive for quality.
A photograph of a Toronto busker taken in 2014 in front of the Royal Ontario Museum by Andreas Kurz. Photo: A. Kurz
These were the characteristics that motivated Steven Atme to nominate autistic photographer Andreas Kurz for the Inspirations Entrepreneurial Award.
“What I admire most is Andreas’ perseverance, courage, determination and resilience,” said Atme.
As an autistic pianist and motivational speaker, Atme has leveraged his own experiences to become a mentor to many, including Kurz, understanding how art can be a conduit for connections and expressing emotions.
Kurz reflected, “I would describe my photography as being very colourful and slightly saturated while also having a gritty texture.” Each photo tells a story, and his goal is for viewers to feel as though they had been at the game or concert featured.
He feels his autism has been an asset with his determination to capture just the right moment, whether at a family gathering, festival or event.
As part of the award, Kurz will be doing a photography internship at >Inspirations>. His first assignment was to photograph artist Sarah Aspler (featured in an article about art as therapy on p. 16) at the Baie d’>Urf>é >Curling Club>’s 28th Gathering of Artisans in October.
A graduate of Dawson’s Professional Photography Program, Kurz is pursuing this career while working full-time at Metro Warehouse in Ville St. Laurent.
He has overcome many challenges in a competitive industry and is making a name for himself; one of his shots of DJ Don Mescal was featured as an article cover for >Narcity Quebec >in 2021. A talent in photography also runs in the family. His grandmother attended Germany’s Bauhaus Art School, and another ancestor was the royal photographer in Bavaria.
Kurz expressed his appreciation: “People with disabilities, including me, have a hard time putting ourselves out there, and Steven is giving us a chance.”
For his part, Atme said, “I really see potential in him. This accolade will take him far.”
