Large, unframed black and white prints hang from clothes pins and display up close, risqué shots of a woman's body, in bedroom mode: lingerie, bare skin, smiles, hair in the face, pendant clenched between teeth and a classic close up her fingers wrapped around her male partner's neck.

The La Dame photo exhibit is on display inside of the Smash Gallery antique art store, where dozens of people mill around, laughing and enjoying fruit and drinks while jamming to a fine selection of R&B and reggae tunes that hit the soul.

It's an intimate setting for the intimate photo exhibit, created by a rising Toronto photographer, 21-year-old Antony Creary.

"You're getting a new experience as opposed to the boring, mounting pictures on the wall," explains Creary, who is doing his first show, after three years of shooting. "I wanted to give my audience much more than coming to an art show."

In the weeks leading up to his big night, Creary admits the biggest challenge he faced was gaining the confidence that people would show up. It turns out he had nothing to worry about. The crowd included everyone from his mom and friends to passersby who were intrigued by the excitement they saw through the glass window storefront. Creary also earned the respect and admiration of veterans in the Toronto industry.

"It's very important to support La Dame when you see a young artist that is emerging and making their way," explains Dameion Royes, founder and owner of Big It Up, a highly successful Toronto hat company and a sponsor of the event. "It takes courage to come up with ideas and when you see that happening in the city, you want to support that, you want to encourage that, you want to make sure the young artists find a ground to grow from."

And Creary's exhibit not only earned him head nods from those who paved the way, but also from his peers on the come up with him.

"I wanted to come out and support and see what he did because I had no idea, I was surprised," says Emmanuel Obuobi Jr., 21, who has been doing photography for a year. "He's something special; he could be one of the top to come out. He's a person that likes to strive. He wants to be it."  

Words By: Priya Ramanujam + Photo By: Melissa Salmon