In 2008, Alberta photographer Tim Van Horn left his home in Red Deer to embark on a year-long journey to see his home and native land for the very first time.
Nine years later, Horn is still travelling across the country, meeting and photographing everyday Canadians. Over 54,000 portraits have been created randomly within 1250 communities from every province and territory - including 亚洲天堂 Lake - as part of his 鈥楥anadian mosaic project.鈥�
Horn was back in 亚洲天堂 Lake last week with a motorhome wrapped with over 10,000 photographs. He connected with local residents all day on June 13, passionately talking about his project while offering to take their portraits.
鈥淲e have this wonderful country, but we don鈥檛 have an image that represents accurately what we are, what we look like,鈥� explained Horn. 鈥淭his is the most current look at our community and cultural identity.鈥�
Horn says each day of his journey has been a 鈥渕ix and medley of beautiful moments and adventures鈥� fuelled by the great people he meets. As he travelled, Horn said he has given considerable thought to the fabric and workings of the Canadian psyche and sentiment in order to accurately represent and define visually Canada鈥檚 collective identity.
鈥淢y mission has been to travel the country, embrace the public, bring us together and say, 鈥楾his is Canada, this is what we look like鈥� look at all the ethnicities; isn鈥檛 it amazing? Embrace it, this is your life.鈥欌��
鈥淓ach portrait of the Canadian mosaic is intended to stir the imagination and curiosity within you, to write our very own narrative to each photograph,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey ultimately encourage you to journey across Canada, to discover the riddles and rhythms of the open road, writing verses in your very own made in Canada love story of who you are, who we are as people and a nation.鈥�
鈥淲e truly are a very special people and country,鈥� he continued. 鈥淎 country with an indefinable ethnic mosaic steeped in compassion and kindness.鈥�
鈥淓ach of us owes it to Canada and one another to reach out to each other to ensure that these good times and our sacred national values remain healthy and prevail,鈥� he added.
Horn says the money raised for the project comes entirely from photography projects he鈥檚 done along the way, and donations from the public. To support the project by making a donation, visit www.canadianmosaic.ca.
