The Photographic Historical Society of Canada proudly hosts the online screening and panel discussion of Jamie Day Fleck's Thesis Documentary Film Photos by Kirk.

Photos by Kirk examines Bronx Photographer Kourken Hovsepian's journey from Armenian Genocide Survivor into the established Commercial Photographer professionally known as Kirk, who for 55 years captured the history of his Bronx community.

The Panel Discussion features Filmmaker Jamie Day Fleck, Pierre Tremblay, Documentary Media Professor at Ryerson University, Toronto, Tasha Lutek, Photography Collection Specialist at the Museum of Modern Art, NYC, and Cassandra Tavukciyan, Digital Collection Specialist at the Canadian Museum of History in Ottawa. Moderating the panel discussion is Toronto Photographer and Podcaster Paulette Michayluk, of Defend The Darkroom Podcast. Your host for the evening is PHSC Programme Director Celio Barreto.

Photos by Kirk tells the story of an Armenian Genocide survivor who immigrated to America in 1920 and worked as a photographer in the Bronx from the 1920's to 1970's. Kourken Hovsepian (professionally known as Kirk) photographed weddings, bar mitzvahs, confirmations and local events. His photographs document a unique period in New York City's history and the ethnically diverse inhabitants. Though he lost his whole family in the tragic events of 1915 in Turkey, Kirk's story revives the American Dream and what it means to document generations of celebratory events in other people's lives. Directed and Produced by Jamie Day Fleck.

Photo by Gary Ray Rush

Toronto-based Documentarian and Photographer Jamie Day Fleck has been producing and directing four film projects including her award-winning films Photos by Kirk and feature documentary Affairs of the Heart: The Life and Music of Marjan Mozetich.

Fleck holds a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Photography from Parsons The New School of Design in New York City, and a Masters of Fine Arts from Ryerson University in Documentary Media.