Toronto·Video

'The Last Salute': See this photographer's portraits of 100-year-old veterans

Photographer Yuri Dojc has captured the portraits of 40 Second World War veterans over the age of 100 living in Sunnybrook hospital. His exhibit, titled The Last Salute, opened for viewing at Sunnybrook on Monday.

Yuri Dojc spent 2 years capturing the faces of Canadians who served in the Second World War

'The Last Salute': A photographer's portraits of 100-year-old veterans

2 years ago
Duration 1:57
A photographer has captured the portraits of 40 WWII veterans over the age of 100, currently living in Sunnybrook hospital. To him, “it’s always about emotions.” ‘The Last Salute’ is on display now at Sunnybrook.

The portraits of 40 Second World War veterans over the age of 100 living in Sunnybrook Medical Centre are on display at the hospital this week.

Yuri Dojc's project, The Last Salute, opened for viewing on Monday and honours the Canadian soldiers who fought almost 80 years ago.

"it's always about emotions,"  Dojc said.

He says his projects are generally rooted in the idea of freedom and escape, inspired by his success in getting out of Communist Czechoslovakia in 1969. 

He came to Canada and became a commercial photographer, which he describes as a "fabulous profession."

"You don't have to be perfect in English but you can express yourself through picture," he said.

Dojc's other projects include portraits of Holocaust survivors and descendants of those who escaped slavery to Canada on the Underground Railroad. 

This is his second time working with Canadian veterans from the Second World War — having photographed them for his book Honour in 2010.