Imagine Antigonish: A Photographic Inquiry into Health by Dorothy Lander and John Graham-Pole

“This work goes beyond nostalgia, signaling us towards a fairer, healthier shared future.”

~ Mary Colin Chisholm, Theatre Artist, Antigonish and Halifax

Founded in appreciative inquiry and the global Imagine movement, Imagine Antigonish: A Photographic Inquiry into Health explores the arts for health equity through the images of one community’s past. Inspired by the resounding success of the 2014 Imagine Antigonish photo exhibit, two of the exhibit’s coordinators—coauthors Dorothy Lander and John Graham Pole— apply scholarly research techniques to uncover the stories behind the photographs. With an eye to the social determinants of health equity (SDHE), the authors restore the rural Canadian community’s rich historical narrative, ultimately revealing a vibrant tapestry of health and social equity. Building upon this tapestry, they invite the reader to imagine Antigonish as a microcosm for all communities, suggesting we ponder what if—what if our community learned lessons from the past to create a better future?