S.A.D. is a series of eight evocative images by Chinese-Canadian artist and photographer Steven Beckly presented on five digital screens at Sankofa Square (formerly Yonge-Dundas Square) during DesignTO 2026. The title refers to seasonal affective disorder, a type of depression that follows a seasonal pattern. In Canada, it is commonly known as the “winter blues,” due to the reduction of activity and sunlight that occur during the winter months. The primary treatment is light therapy, which involves exposure to a light source that mimics the brightness of natural sunlight. Light is a constant quality in Beckly’s photographic practice. Captured through his intimate lens, light appears as a felt presence: permeating surfaces, illuminating screens, reflecting like a mirror or lingering like an apparition.

Emerging from momentary encounters, the captivating images that comprise S.A.D. conjure multiple metaphors of light: a curtain pulled back, a doorway out of darkness, a healing touch, a friend you can feel, a poem you can move through.

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