Lisa Murzin is a Toronto lens-based artist and photographer who explores the theme of transition: the time and space between states and subjects. Inspired by her own poetic connection with the land, Lisa’s documentary investigations often question the human relationship with the natural world.
Moving image, analogue, digital and alternative processes become the creative tools that help bring meaning to her work.
Murzin’s photographs have been exhibited internationally and are held within gallery and corporate collections. Lisa holds a Graduate Certificate in Documentary Non-Fiction Media Production and an MFA in Documentary Media.
During the past few years, I enrolled in the Experimental Photo Festival online workshops while looking forward to attending in person. This past summer of 2025, I realized this dream—it was amazing. Over the week-long festival, I was immersed in and inspired by the many experimental lens-based art exhibits, the talks, workshops and the diverse group of participants. It was a supportive and friendly atmosphere. My attendance culminated in the opportunity to show in 2026 a project that explores human and non-human communication at the festival and at Grenze Arsenali Fotografici Gallery in Verona, Italy.
This positive experience led me to enrolling in the Agora school. As I begin a new project, this mentorship program has elevated my motivation to continue creating and exploring. Each session is an opportunity to present the project and receive feedback and support from Pablo, our Mentor and the other participants. It can be challenging to progress without support as our closeness to the work often conflicts with what may be best for the project. As well, listening to ourselves explain the work often offers us new insight and creative ideas. One of the most exciting parts of this mentorship is the knowledge about experimental photography, curating and photography in general that Pablo brings to the sessions. Each time the group meets, I contemplate different ways to explore the medium, the formats of presentation and how process brings meaning. I also look forward to seeing the evolution and advancement of everyone’s projects.
Highlight Project
Oak Tree | Human
My project Oak Tree | Human explores my relationship with a two-hundred-year-old oak tree and invites you to consider that if you could communicate with nature how might this affect your perception of trees. Through the process of connecting and documenting, I considered how could the Tree participate in the creation of the project—pinholes mounted onto the Tree imagined what the visual perspective of the Tree would be, phytograms explored the Oak’s collaboration through their leaves, acorns and catkins and tree bark graphite rubbing represented the actual circumference of the Tree.
In my current project, I am continuing my relational exploration with the non-human and experimental lens-based processes to convey my experience and collaboration with them