For as long as she could remember, being alone was a frightening place to be.
It was where she felt stripped down to her bare bones, where her loudest thoughts and emotions consumed her. Being alone was not simply solitude; it was loneliness.
When COVID-19 emerged in March 2020, she was preparing to graduate with a Bachelor of Photography, filled with excitement about the possibilities ahead and the opportunities that awaited her. When the world came to a halt, she was forced into isolation. The temptation to retreat into uncertainty and be overwhelmed by loneliness was strong, but something within her led her to confront that solitude. At first, it was as terrifying as she had expected. Self-doubt threatened to overwhelm her after years of creative collaboration. As she processed her self-criticism, she began taking long walks at night, often the only safe way to be outside.
Bringing her camera was initially an afterthought, but it soon became essential. Photography had always been her way of expressing what she could not put into words. As she wandered through neighbourhoods night after night, she began photographing the warm lights glowing from people’s homes. She often found herself wondering who was inside, how they felt, and how they were living their lives. During this time, when everything felt uncertain and unstable, capturing these moments of warmth and familiarity helped her make sense of the coldness of the outside world. It reminded her that even in darkness, there is always a sense of comfort and belonging in the idea of home.
As life gradually returned to normal and new uncertainties replaced the pandemic, that sense of warmth remained a quiet reassurance.
Inside the Evening is an invitation. It seeks to remind viewers that even in their darkest and most solitary moments, there is always warmth, comfort, and familiarity to be found in the idea of home. Whether in a bustling city or a rural town, home is always present, waiting to be seen beyond the darkness.
About Jo Panasiuk
Jo Panasiuk did not always aspire to be a photographer. She spent much of her early life imagining a career as a police officer and began post-secondary studies in 2014 to pursue that path. However, while completing her programme in Protection, Security, and Investigation at Humber College, she increasingly realised that her personal morals and values were in conflict with the profession. She recognised that this tension would only deepen if she continued towards becoming an OPP officer.
Upon reaching this turning point, it was her mother who encouraged her to pursue photography. Although she had long considered it a hobby, she had not realised it could be studied academically. She began her degree at Sheridan in 2016 and graduated in 2020 with an Honours Bachelor of Photography. She then started working as a photo assistant in Toronto’s commercial photography industry. These experiences allowed her to explore, appreciate, and experiment with a wide range of photographic approaches, while continuing to refine her personal style and sources of inspiration.
In her own practice, she creates work that aligns with fine art photography. Drawn to the everyday magic of the mundane, she produces cinematic, narrative-driven images that explore the intersection of solitude, wilderness, and human presence. She is often found wandering through neighbourhoods in the evenings, travelling, exploring the natural world, and seeking light in the darkest places. [Official Website]
