Malak's Canada

Julie Rekai Rickerd is a Toronto-based broadcaster and public-relations
consultant.

The celebrated portrait photographer, Yousuf Karsh, was always referred
to simply as Karsh. His brother, Malak Karsh, also a master
photographer, was called Malak in order to distinguish one from the
other. Malak, an Armenian born in Turkey, came to Canada in 1937 and
worked with his brother for a time, until he set up shop on his own. He
worked for Canadian and international periodicals, photographing Canada
at war. His trademark shots were based on the saying that “a picture
is worth a thousand words,” and they embodied his personal thoughts
and feelings about his subjects.

According to Knowlton Nash, “[Malak] sought to do with a camera what
the Group of Seven did with paint. ... Not only did [he] reflect the
spellbinding geography of Canada, he also put a face on industrial
Canada with his photographic reflection of industries such as aluminum,
pulp and paper and textiles.” Malak thus captured forever the
diversity of the people of his adopted country. He also truly loved the
hundreds of thousands of tulips that bloomed in the nation’s capital
every spring, a gift from Queen Julianna of the Netherlands (a gesture
of thanks to Canada for sheltering her and her family in Ottawa during
World War II). Another of Malak’s trademark series are the spectacular
shots of Parliament, many of which can be viewed at the Rideau Club in
Ottawa.

This book, which includes a preface by Malak’s wife and an
introduction by Knowlton Nash, is a fitting tribute to one of Canada’s
finest photographers.