So It Is: Vancouver Book

So it Is: Vancouver, an unusual coffee table book that captures the untold stories of Vancouver, its history and culture through the eyes of 100 very different people, launches to the public Wednesday, Dec. 16 after raising $65K through a successful Kickstarter campaign.

The creative project of local photographers Adam Schelle and Kev Holloway, the book features 100 portraits and snippets about Vancouver from the eyes of billion dollar business men like Ryan Holmes and Chip Wilson, to colourful figures like “Canada’s most famous junkie,” Dean Wilson, a Downtown Eastside legend and Jesse Keefer, whose relative accidentally burned the city down in 1886.

“While Vancouver is rated as one of the top places to live, it’s often criticized for being bland, lacking culture and having no history,” said Kev Holloway, co-creator and co-photographer of So It Is: Vancouver. “Each individual is uniquely incredible, and offers an access point to a greater story about the city by exposing its history, culture, the way things happen and why through the people who call it home.”

The pair originally set out to publish 2,000 copies of the book through a Kickstarter campaign with the goal of raising $50K. However, the project caught the attention of Chip Wilson, founder of lululemon and his wife Shannon Wilson, co-founder of Kit and Ace. The Wilson’s made a generous contribution allowing Adam and Kev to exceed their goal and successfully launch the book in time for Christmas.

“The book did a great job of featuring individuals who tie in Vancouver’s past, encapsulate its spirit today, and are carving out the city’s tomorrow,” said Shannon Wilson, co-founder of Kit and Ace. “We feel it is a project that showcases the diverse chapters of Vancouver’s collective story and gives insight into the true depth of our city.”

In celebration of the “rainy city” each individual was soaked in water for rawness and photographed in a city location that they most connect with.  Approximately 1,500 limited edition copies of the book will be sold at a launch party on Dec. 16th. Partial proceeds of the book will be donated to St. John Ambulance to help fund an ambulance team dedicated to the DTES for non-emergency medical treatment.

For more information visit: www.soitisvancouver.com