Toronto has been abuzz over a new photography gallery planned by Ryerson University to showcase the 300,000-item Black Star Collection. The Toronto Star ^[2] says the venue, scheduled to be completed in early 2010, “will instantly become Canada’s most important” photo gallery, and “one of the most significant in the world.”

The Torontoist ^[3] says the new gallery will provide a huge brand boost for Ryerson, Canada’s largest photography school. Marc Lostracco writes:

In addition to featuring works from the school’s Mira Godard Centre, the gallery will showcase the Black Star collection. New York-based Black Star is the oldest photojournalism agency in the world, and Ryerson is the custodian of 300,000 original images by the likes of Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Capa, Marion Post-Wolcott, and Andreas Feininger.

Ryerson President Sheldon Levy believes the gallery will benefit Toronto and all of Canada. “We think it has the potential to become a national centre of photography,” Levy said.

[tags]photojournalism, Black Star Collection[/tags]