Suicide While Being Evicted

My belated condolences to those who were close to Christian Belpaire. I first met Christian in Toronto, when he was down at the Argonaut Rowing Club for a freelance photo assignment that appeared in the summer of 1989 edition of Toronto Magazine. On my suggestion, we met the following morning, as I was going to set up a photo opportunity for him to photograph my rowing partner and I in a double shell, stroking alongside a WWII destroyer, the Haida. Though we were not allowed to row there, we snuck in so that he could capture our siloette against the gleaming reflection of the sun rising against the massive, riveted hull of this ship. The picture was printed on a full page. My ex-fiance noticed it and was kind enough to send me a copy, which has inspired me in my own photography since. I was searching online just now to see if Christian may have had the negative still and would have been able to send me a copy. Sadly, Christian ended his life, obviously from a depression brought about from an anxious moment in his life. His legacy will be both his art and others' remembrance. I will remember this moment we collaborated on a shared vision that created a beautiful image that I treasure today.

John Savage
Gatineau, Quebec
November 29, 2008