Faculty of Art
Photography
Meet the Artist
Joe
Cata
Photography
“Hi, I'm Joe! What We Do is my thesis project, rooted in the belief that nothing is more captivating than our unaltered environments and personal lives. Through a diaristic photo archive, I capture the people, places, and things that shape who we are—preserving the inherent, profound beauty in what might otherwise be overlooked. This work invites viewers to reframe the everyday as something remarkable, fleeting, and worthy of celebration. By sharing my own experiences, I hope others see the value in their own.”
Joe Cata (b. 2001, Toronto, Canada) is a lens-based artist whose work explores the preservation and significance of personal archives, memory, and lived experience. Working primarily with 35mm photography, his practice blurs the line between vernacular and fine art, revealing the emotional weight and complexity of everyday moments.His work has been exhibited at Gallery 1313, featured in the artist-run pop-up shop The Gift Shop at Stackt Market, and published in the independent Toronto publication Star Magazine. He is currently presenting his new archival project, What We Do (2020–2024), at OCAD University’s GradEx 110 and in a solo exhibition at She Said Gallery in June. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography from OCAD University.
Book Editing Photo Sequencing Analog Photography Darkroom Printing Archival Projects Photobook Design Installation Planning Scanning & Print Preparation Visual Storytelling Collage Creative Direction Archival Research & Curation Independent Publishing Typography & Layout Design Studio Coordination Writing for Art Collaboration & Project Management Community-Based Art Projects