 | This biography of a living person includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations .(July 2025) |
Edward Gajdel | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 1, 1958 |
| Occupation(s) | Photographer, filmmaker |
Edward Gajdel (born August 1, 1958) is a Polish-Canadian photographer based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, best known for his celebrity portraits and art photography. [1]
Gajdel was born in Sokolka to a Russian-born father and a Polish mother. His parents met at a German labour camp in World War II. In 1967, his family immigrated to Canada and settled in Beiseker, Alberta. He first took an interest in photography at age six.
In 1978, Gajdel enrolled in the Photographic Arts program at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. After his graduation, he enrolled in a workshop with photographer Michel Tcherevkoff, who he then interned with in New York. Following his return to Calgary, Gajdel went to Europe in fall 1984 and intended to photograph for Vogue Italia. When he returned to Canada for the winter, he got engaged to Djanka, who he had met before his trip to Europe, and they married before settling in Toronto.
In Toronto, Gajdel photographed for Toronto Life, Flare, Entertainment Weekly, and MacLean's before establishing his own studio.
Some of Gajdel's contributions held a permanent residence in the Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography, and have since become part of The National Gallery collections. Gajdel's commercial portfolio was featured in the curated compilation "50 Years of Advertising" at the Royal Ontario Museum.
P Magazine called Gajdel "Man of the People"; in the article, Dr. Oscar Peterson praised his photography. Norman Jewison, another subject of Gajdel's, applauded his understanding of composition and application of good lighting techniques.
Gajdel's work has been featured in several major magazines, including GQ, Elle, Time, Fortune, Esquire (magazine), and Life. He has photographed many notable figures, including Prime Ministers Jean Chrétien and Brian Mulroney; Presidents Eduardo Frei (Chile), Carlos Salinas de Gortari (Mexico), and Ernesto Zedillo (Mexico); author Stephen King; actors Tom Hanks, Marcia Gay Harden, Faye Dunaway, and Christopher Plummer; musicians Metallica, Oscar Peterson and Diana Krall; and sports players Wayne Gretzky and Vince Carter.
Gajdel was the first Canadian photo-laureate commission for LOT42 Global Flex Campus in Kitchener, Ohio. He is also a filmmaker whose work has appeared in various international film festivals. His first short film, "Repeat", played at the Berlin and Buffalo film festivals, and his 2017 documentary "Just An Inconvenience: A Portrait of Rosemary" (in which he acted as cinematographer, editor, and sound editor) played at the Buffalo Film Festival. He was the cinematographer and assistant director of the documentary "Unearthing Ogawa", which played at major film festivals in the US, Canada, Australia, and France. Aired on PBS, it was named Best US Documentary by the International Manhattan Film Awards in July 2022.
Gajdel has spoken at several lectures and created multiple internships. He has been a member of CAPIC since 1982 and the American Society of Media Photographers for decades.
Gajdel has gained many accolades from national and global organizations. The National Magazine Awards Foundation has awarded Gajdel gold, silver, and honourable mentions for his contributions to an array of Canadian publications, including Toronto Life, Canadian Business, Financial Times, The Globe, Mail, enRoute, and others. The Advertising and Design Club of Canada Awards, The Canadian Association of Professional Image Creators (CAPIC), and the Applied Arts Magazine Annual Awards have acknowledged his creative influence.
Gajdel has garnered acclaim from the American Photography Annual, World Press Photo and Communication Arts, from whom he earned eleven Awards of Excellence. He also earned the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. He was also praised at the Innoversity Summit in October 2006.
In late 1984 or early 1985, Gajdel got engaged to Djanka, and they married sometime after. They live in Toronto.
https://unearthingogawa.com/pages/edward-gajdel
https://capic.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Xpose_2014_program.pdf
https://richardcrouse.ca/edward-gajdel-and-the-evolution-of-the-portrait/
https://torontoguardian.com/2022/05/toronto-artist-edward-gajdel/
https://www.gallery.ca/collection/artwork/oscar-peterson
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7369886/fullcredits/?ref_=tt_ql_1
https://app.pch.gc.ca/application/aac-aic/artiste_detailler_ind-artist_detail_ind.app? rID=55333&fID=2&lang=en&qlang=en&pID=1&anm=Gajdel,+Edward&sort=AM_ASC&ps=50&pID1=1914&ps1=10&ansf=TAM&sort1=ascending&wbdisable=true
https://www.beaux-arts.ca/collection/artiste/edward-gajdel
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=320794903552085&id=100068647340922&set=a.236341208664122&locale=gl_ES&paipv=0&eav=AfZR00Nj-V7_8ugKRfhRIQD7zX0yeIJXMvzSHe8ePIN0o-nI_y-Y3G5MfgW0pTJPgDg&_rdr https://ew.com/article/2001/10/31/ew-talks-star-wars-hayden-christensen/
https://edwardgajdel.com/ https://salonvoltaire.tumblr.com/pastspeakers
