About The Canadian Mosaic Project by Tim Van Horn

Since the beginning of the Canadian Mosaic project on October 1st, 2008, 13,400 portraits from every province and territory in Canada have been created by photojournalist, Tim Van Horn. Every year until 2017, Tim Van Horn will traverse the Canadian cultural landscape, interviewing and photographing thousands of Canadians, meticulously recording each individual story.
This project attempts to unite the country, a people, in one single all encompassing, euphoric visual. Each one of us has a story to tell and to share. The Canadian Mosaic project brings our unique, interconnected stories together into one spell-binding visual. The Canadian Mosaic project’s mission is to create an astonishing 36,000 portraits. This number represents a seemingly miniscule .1% of the population of Canada but it will be the most comprehensive portrait ever created on the Canadian people. The collective story of these 36,000 portraits will converge and weave together a spectacular, ‘prism of life:’ shining a spotlight on the meaning of life.
On Canada Day in 2017, for Canada’s 150th birthday, a larger-than-life, 30x100 foot Canadian flag mosaic will be unveiled at a major Canadian museum. This living tapestry of life, will play an instrumental role in bringing together the people of Canada. The task at hand is to focus, gather and define the sentiment of the Canadian people across the gamut of Canadian society: from all regions, inclusive of all ethnic/socioeconomic groups, sub-cultures and generations. Every attempt is being made to construct an authentic, visual anthropological document that genuinely reflects our collective humanity. The mission is to form, capture and assemble visually, the true reflection of the Canadian cultural identity; the people, the places and positive values as the centre.

The Canadian Mosaic project is about and for you the people!

Currently as of April 2nd, 2012, An amazing 13,400 portraits have been created from every province and territory in Canada. Making the Canadian Mosaic portrait collection the largest portraiture of the Canadian people ever undertaken. The entire mosaic project comprises of 36,000 portraits, spanning ten years from 1000's of locations across Canada. Never in the history of Canada or photography have the Canadian people been extensively documented from coast to coast to coast. This cultural identity project continues to grow, and weave together the visual story of who we are. With each passing minute, day, season and year the entire project continuing to grow organically with each person being added to this family of humankind. 36,000 portraits represent .1% of the Canadian population. The message is universal to embrace life, community, individuality, and to believe in our collective humanity. We truly are all interconnected, the mosaic connects and weaves one person, one story at a time into one larger story of life.

Portraits from 2008-2010 focused primarily on people's faces.

Portraits from 2011-2012 are shot a bit further back, showing more of the person, and in turn telling more about the person.

This is the red background in the beginning, just a wee bit too loud.

I now use a fold out tent system off the side of my van, which gives the ability to darker down the background.

Tim Van Horn in Victoria

The gathering of the portraits uses these two methods:

A mobile studio: The concept is to pick a single geographical location, anywhere in Canada and stand there for one hour and ask everyone who goes by if they'd like to be included in the Canadian Mosaic Project. Randomly, in rural and urban sets, Tim Van Horn sets up a fold out studio off the side of the Canadian Mosaic Research van. Tim stands there for one hour and asks every single person who walks by to be photographed and be part of the mosaic. In that 60 minutes Tim engages with a diverse, interesting, insightful, colorful cross-section people from the full spectrum of life here in Canada. Tim sees each person as a piece of the puzzle in the amazing dream we share and call Canada. With upwards of 75% of people being stopped, randomly, saying yes to being photographed and included in the project! These individual portraits of life then weave together the collective story of life, the people who do say yes, give themselves willingly to a total stranger which is testimony to the principles Tim feels makes us Canadian. No one signs anything, all photos are taken in trust, on my end, as the keeper of these portraits, I must follow a strict set of unspoken rules. View guidelines.

Recording life in full living color in Victoria, BC

tim van horn

The fold out studio on the side of the Canadian Mosaic van.

A One Way Trip: Life is going on all around us! Some days, Tim chooses to not be stationary and walk around, city streets, neighborhoods, and bump into people. With this technique, its all about asking everyone on a three hour walk/journey somewhere in the Canadian landscape. It all starts with a smile and a ' excuse me can I take your photo and include you in this great big look at Canada?' People can say yes or no. Tim goes into all the details and hands everyone a card which leads them to the website where people can download their photograph. Tim is happy and proud to say, 90% of the you amazing, believing people, I've met have said yes! Thank you!

tim van horn in the rocky mountains

Tim also conduct audio recording, asking people what they think about life here in Canada, which also provides data for the written aspects of the exhibitions and books. Help Tim bring us all together for our 150th birthday, and submit a little story or thought on being Canadian, click here!

tim van horn

The Canadian Mosaic Project started on October 1st. 2008 in Red Deer, Alberta. I had no idea I would be stumbling upon the concept of the mosaic until my second month of a one year trip across Canada. I was at Mc Gill University in Montreal photographing students with their toques and winter fashions, that day I blogged all the shots in a grid, putting everyone, side by side and wow, I started to see the power of illustrating our individuality and the need to put a face to our ever changing cultural diversity. Below is a time line for the creation of the portraits, shooting is to be completed for 2016, so there is at least one year to go into production to create the exhibitions, audio visual projections, books, ebooks, etc for 2017.

These are the first portraits created for the Canadian Mosaic project on McGill Campus in 2008!

Year	Number of portraits taken/to be taken
2008	256
2009	1817
2010	3164
2011	8000
2012	5500
2013	4500
2014	3500
2015	4000
2016	3500
2017	1754
Total	36,000

quebec mosaic

The Quebec Mosaic is currently being created using 2012 portraits from across the province of Quebec. portraits will be taken from October 2011 to June 2012 using blue and white backgrounds, See interactive Quebec Mosaic click here.

Canada Day Mosaic created with 2700 portraits from Vancouver. to see the interactive Canada Day Mosaic click here.

In 2010 the Vancouver Mosaic was created to celebrate the 125th year of Vancouver being a city with 5500 portraits.

In 2012, Victoria celebrates it's 150th birthday and a colourful heart mosaic will represent 2012 citizens of Victoria. A heartfelt look at life here in Victoria. See interactive mosaic click here.

yellowknife mosaic sample

In 2013 an extensive portrait of northern Canada will create a massive documentation of the first nations peoples.

In 2017, all 36,000 portraits will be unified to create a massive mosaic for the 150th birthday of Canada using a new sesquicentennial logo.

Q. Who is Canadian Mosaic Project?

The Canadian Mosaic Project is a one man show, my name is Tim Van Horn and its my life mission to bring this country together for the 150th birthday in 2017. My goal is to spread the message that we each has an amazing life to be lived and a one-of-a-kind story to be shared and dreams to be dreamt. Whether I realized it or not, I've been working towards creating the mosaic my entire life, but never actually known it until I got here. Growing up as a military kid, we travelled around the world, and it was in those early years, I set my sights on being a photographer in order to continue my flow of cultural infusion I was ingesting with each new place. simultaneously, the military framework or philosophy spawned the notion to serve the people. Over the years I realize I have a hidden, sense of duty to the people and humanity with my work and outlook. Growing up I knew I was going to be at the centre of something big, but didn't know what that was until started to dream up the the Canadian Mosaic Project in 2008-09. At that time the mosaic was to be presented at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, sadly the emails I was sending to the Olympic arts and culture committee where not being received and the opportunity to be involved with the 2010 Olympics passed. Standing there in 2010, having worked for a year and half with a wonderful visual vision and having missed the mother of all cultural events, I decided to set my sights seven years down the road and continue the Canadian Mosaic Project until the 2017 Canada 150th birthday celebrations.

All too often the phrase "the Canadian mosaic' is used in government to describe Canada's multicultural makeup. Its true Canada is one of the most culturally diverse nations on the planet, for the most part everyone is entitled to retain their cultural identity and live freely as they please. A positive aspect to be proud of here in Canada. We are a free country to express our cultural, political, sexual, personal views whatever they may look like. I see the Canadian mosaic representing the tree of life. Each of us is innately unique in every aspect of who we are, much like a snow flake. We all think our own thoughts, dress a certain way and are individuals. No two people walk the same! These slight differences made up both our cultural identity here in Canada, but also collectively these portraits define and create a 'prism of life'. Each portraits is a chip in the DNA chain. My mission is to bring all these stories or chips together in one single tapestry and say to you the people, "there, this is the meaning of life, live it, love it, breath it!".

The Canadian Mosaic Project is about and for you the people!

Tim Van Horn in Montreal 2011

Quebec we love you!!!! Tim Van Horn in Montreal at the Tam-tam's shooting the Quebec Mosaic 2011.

Tim van horn

Working on the streets of Victoria, 2011

Q. What got you started doing a project like this on Canada?

A. I have always wanted to travel and record our history with a camera since I can remember. I was raised in the Canadian Air Force, and developed a sense of duty to the people. I guess you'd say I have a huge humanitarian streak rather than a 'I love Canada' we're the best, streak. I do love Canada, but I feel my message is a universal message and examination of our humankind and life itself. So, I do this to expose our humanity, which in my mind, doesn't have a nationality or borders. I plug these amazing portraits into a number of visuals with a Canadian flag motif, because at the top of what I call the 'community pyramid' stands a person's country. Below that, you have your city, province or territory, than your neighborhood, and of course your family.

Q. What's the most portraits you've shot in a day?

A. On Canada Day in Vancouver this year, I met and photographed 2700 people. An amazing day!

Tim Van Horn

The deal was I was allowed to photograph sister Stella, but I had to take my shirt off, I was like 'suuuurrrreee' sister! Off came the shirt. 2010These portraits happen all across the country, 24/7 in every possible life situation, making the mosaic an authentic look at the Canadian cultural landscape. People love this project!!

Each year, new mosaics are created and exhibited at special events across Canada. Some are booked months in advance and others are last minute. The message is always well received, no matter what province or age group, people love the concept and are so thrilled someone is roaming around Canada creating a project of this nature. Below is a sample of some of the displays and events the Canadian Mosaic Project has been involved with in the past two years. If you"re interested in having a mosaic at your event, please contact me, Tim Van Horn.

Canada Day 2011 in Vancouver, BC at Canada Place.

canada day - canada place

Canada Day 2011 in Vancouver, BC at Canada Place.

Arctic Winter Games, in Grande Prairie, Alberta in 2010

Tim Van Horn in Red Deer

Red Deer, Alberta Artwalk, 2010

Outdoor Studio on Canada Day, 2012, Canada Place, Vancouver, 2700 portraits were created in 10 hour!

tim van horn canadian mosaic project 2011 vancouver pride week davie street.

Passing people on Davie Street in Vancouver, stop to check the mosaic out!

tim van horn canadian mosaic jasper

Alberta Arts Days, Jasper, Alberta, 2010

Shambhala mosaic setup and portrait

Shambhala 2011

tim van horn

By design a flag with 1000's of faces from across Canada, a universal symbol of Canada and who we are merges into one all encompassing visual. Powerful stuff.

We need something BIG and real for the 150th birthday of Canada in a time where we're seeing less and less of real. These 36,000 portraits will define and document this country like never before, an archive for our history as a country and as a people will be forever written into the archives, providing future generations a glimpse into the life and times of the mid 21st century here in Canada. Never before has Canada been documented so extensively from a heartfelt angle.

Everyone will be able to relate and identify with the Canadian Mosaic in some way.

tim van horn

faces of Canadian Mosaic

Q. How many people to you think you've met while doing this project?

A. 13,400 portraits as of April 2nd, 2012 have been created from every province and territory, I average a 70% success rate in getting people on board, so another 4000 people declined on top of the 13,400 who have agreed. So that's about 17,400 Canadians in the past 42 months.

tim van horn canadian mosaic project

All the colours of life blended into one amazing visual defining our true, unbridled cultural identity!

Canada needs and deserves one person out here who's purpose is to unite us all in one amazing collection of photographs for our 150th birthday in 2017!

Canada has changed a lot in the past five years, what better way to define a country than it's people?

People trust me, in return I adhere to a strict set of unspoken ethical guidelines with everyone's photographs. out of 13,400 portraits not one person has come back to me and requested I remove they're photograph, I think that's amazing! Yay Canada!

Ever Canada's top law enforcement personnel have trusted and gotten involved in the Canadian Mosaic Project.

Q. How do you get the red and white backgrounds?

A. I shoot all the portraits with the same red and white background which I setup off the side of my van, or sometimes I tack the backgrounds up on building or whatever surface is available. Other times I use landmarks, monuments that are key to those communities.

tim van horn dove mosaic

All mosaic with the Canadian Mosaic Project promo positive life messages!

tim van horn

The Canadian Mosaic project celebrates relationships and the power of individuality!

What makes this project so special is everyone seems to whole heatedly believe in it!

Q. Why is it that people say 'no' to being photographed and included in this heartfelt look at Canada and our humanity?

A. Well there's lots of reasons, which, I must force myself to grapple with and understand, time to time. Sometimes people aren't so happy with who they have become. Sad, I know. Other times people think I'm going to hassle them and want money from them, so they keep walking and don't ever stop to listen. Other people don't have a minute to stop. I guess I do want something from them, to believe in the goodness of us all!

Other times people just never have photographs taken of them, ever. Personal choice. Some people reference Face book, and how they don't want to be on the internet. I must and do respect this. Trust is fragile and an intrinsic part of the Canadian social fibre. If you look at each of these portraits your notice everyone has an upward positive feeling to their photo. That's because these people wanted to photographed and genuinely believe in the collective. On my end, my reasonability to the people who's photograph i posses is to adhere to a strict code of ethics.

tim van horn

Every region in Canada will be represented in the Canadian Mosaic Project!

We all have a story etched into us, the Canadian Mosaic Project celebrates all these stories of life!

Q. How many portraits do you do in a year normally?

A. In 2008-09, I created 1800 portraits, in 2010, I shot 3400 in 2011, I've shot 8000, in 2012 it's my hope to meet 7000 Canadians along the Trans Canada Highway. Taking the new total of portraits to 20,000!

I seemingly have the ability to span all generations, genders, and ethnic backgrounds sincerely, shamelessly, giving the mosaic a full, authentic roundness, which is needed to tell the story of life from all possible angles.

Q. What's your favorite part of doing this project?

A. Hands down it has to be the interaction with the people I meet and learn from with every encounter. This is a journey for me into the depths of understanding the fabric of life and humankind. Each person has a story or lesson to share, each of us has a story written into us. My job is to make sense of it all, to capture and ingesting all these individual stories and working them into one all telling story or 'Prism of Life'. I truly am getting paid with adventure and experience each and everyday.