Since 2008, Tim VanHorn has been collecting photographs of Canadians which he has turned 54,000 of those photos into a mosaic on his motorhome for Canada’s 150 birthday.
When asked if VanHorn recalls taking photos in Houston he said, “No, I didn’t make it up until 2015. When I first started, I headed East. I didn’t really have the same commitment to get to all the communities as I do now. That came with time.”
“I feel that the strength of the project is in its completeness so getting to every town is part of that,” he added.
VanHorn is from Red Deer, Alberta and a military kid and said he married that sense of duty with his art.
“When I started in 2008, there really was no image that represented Canada,” said Van Horn. “All too often when photographers go out and photograph Canada it is the landscape, and not the people.”
VanHorn says the people have been over looked, “and so the story of the Canadian mosaic has never been told.”
“With each portrait I came a little bit more addicted, or intrigued, to completing the story, to try and really capture the essence of the Canadian identity.” said VanHorn.
Originally VanHorn thought this project would be about capturing snapshots for the 2010 Olympics, “which I missed, and then was looking down the road at Canada 150 and thought, ‘I can do something with this.’”
VanHorn left Red Deer on May 27, 2017 and says he’ll be gone on a “Trans-Canada love journey” until November 2017 and stopping in 150 communities along the way.
“And trying to keep the Canadian identity up to date taking more photos, and that is really important when you are trying to define a people or capture something, it has to be current,” said VanHorn.
VanHorn’s vision of the Canadian mosaic was not funded by the government of Canada and says that it has been supported by the public along the way who have welcomed him and believe that the work he is doing is important.
To support Tim VanHorn on his journey visit his facebook page Canadian Mosaic or website http://canadianmosaic.ca/ to make a donation.