Portraits of Strangers on the Streets of Toronto 2007-2022
This fifteen-year project by Carmine Groe (2007–2022) explores the boundaries of identity through the lens of street portraiture. Opening with a vibrant colour "threshold" that leads into twenty-eight black-and-white works, the collection visualizes Groe’s own poetry: a reminder that beneath the surface, we are all resilient, fragile, and profoundly the same. This body of work has been exhibited in May 2026 – A solo show as part of the Contact Photography Festival 2026.
i am.
i am human.
just like you–
in need of compassion.
just like you–
in need of compassion.
i am strong.
unique.
resilient.
i am for Life
unique.
resilient.
i am for Life
look at me.
i am no different.
i need a friend.
i am in love–
in need of family,
of laughter,
of tears.
i am no different.
i need a friend.
i am in love–
in need of family,
of laughter,
of tears.
just like you.
i am alive.
pulling and pushing air into lungs.
pulling and pushing air into lungs.
i am dust and will wither,
but for now, I am here.
but for now, I am here.
for now, I am.
– Carmine Groe
Selected Images
