Joshua Jensen-Nagle is an accomplished contemporary artist and photographer whose work has captivated audiences worldwide for over two decades. Born and raised in New Jersey, Josh discovered his passion for photography in high school, where he was fortunate enough to have access to a darkroom. His childhood summers were spent at the Jersey shore, where he first became fixated with capturing beachscapes.
In 1999, Josh moved to Canada to pursue his photography studies at Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University), where he honed his craft and refined his distinctive style. Through a unique lens, his immersive photographs focus more on evoking nostalgic and aspirational feelings, than on documenting a reality.
In the past 20 years, Joshua has mounted over fifty solo exhibitions at major galleries across North America and beyond. His work has been placed in numerous private and corporate collections including Microsoft, Maple Leaf, MasterCard International, Four Seasons, Target, Transcontinental, and Hilton Hotels, and has been featured in prominent publications, such as Art In America, Canadian Art, Globe and Mail, Toronto Life, House and Home, Fashion, and Elle Canada.
His large-scale works have also been showcased at leading art fairs, including Photo London, Art Toronto, Art Miami, Scope Miami, Art Palm Beach, Art New York, Art Chicago, and the San Francisco Art Fair.
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Which neighbourhood are you in?
When in the city, I live in West Queen West, close to all my favourite restaurants. My studio is in the Junction near the end of the rail path, so on nice days I can walk to work from my house. When not in the city, I spend my time on Lake Erie in the Niagara Region.
What do you do?
I’m a photographer and artist. I don’t do commercial shoots or client work; I prefer using photography as a means to create, and then I sell my work through art galleries. For some series, I layer a combination of techniques together, but primarily I use my camera to capture a feeling, with the intention of evoking emotion from the viewer. I produce everything in-house, and most of my work is large-scale, immersive pieces that pull you in.
What are you currently working on?
I’m always working on a few different bodies of work.
Right now, my Endless Summer series is probably the one people know me for most. It explores beachscapes captured from various vantage points and reflects on my childhood memories of summers spent surfing with my dad and just soaking in the sun. A lot of my shots are taken from helicopters, which gives me the perfect bird’s-eye view.
Another series I’m deep into right now is Sunsets and Fireworks. For this body of work, I start by shooting sunsets, print them large, then re-photograph them outside, setting off fireworks in their foreground. I’m trying to create something celebratory but with a sense of quiet reflection.
Where can we find your work?
This past February, I opened an exhibition at Bau-Xi Gallery in Toronto (1384 Dufferin Street), featuring pieces from my Endless Summer series. While that specific exhibition has wrapped, Bau-Xi Gallery continues to represent my work year-round, with a rotating selection from all of my series available for collectors to view anytime.
