The David Thompson
Bicentennial Legacy Art Project

The North American David Thompson Bicentennials Partnership has been organized by a growing international group of not-for-profit interests who want to commemorate the character and accomplishments of David Thompson in a broad range of ways.

Partner groups in this initiative are centred in Canada, the United States and Great Britain. This heritage awareness initiative is a three-year continent-wide public and private sector partnership.  It will be followed by two further years of commemorations that will mark the bicentennials of specific David Thompson related events, particularly, but not exclusively in Western North America.

Although works by Paul Kane and Henry James Warre exist of some of the places Thompson explored, no collection of the kind being proposed to commemorate the life and times of David Thompson. 

As Thompson’s travels were undertaken before the invention of photography, no imagery exists to give life to Thompson’s remarkable stories. In a project very similar to one undertaken by Charles Fritz in commemoration of the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial which is now considered an American national treasure, Joseph Cross has been invited by the North American David Thompson Bicentennials Steering Committee to create an exhibition of historically accurate, museum quality paintings depicting central events in Thompson’s remarkable life.  Additionally, the project will commemorate the role of women in the fur trade and exploration of the continent, and represent native presence and perspective.

Parks Canada is providing much needed in-kind support through access to national historical sites and several staff historians necessary for the accuracy of the paintings, as well as advice and historical information. Similar historical information is available to us from the Glenbow Museum, the Ontario Archives and the Canadian Geographic magazine, and various Canadian historians.

Several contacts were made at the March 30-April 1, 2006 David Thompson Bicentennials Launch in Edmonton.  People across Canada and the U.S. have come forward to help with historical information that we might require. The US Army Corps of Engineers, Survey Association members, other historians and museums have also expressed a willingness to provide information, accommodation, and necessary contacts.  Through recent travels, the network of people involved in David Thompson projects continues to grow.

Over the course of three to five years, Joseph Cross expects to complete approximately 100 paintings related to the David Thompson story.  Integral to the project is portraying the role of women in the fur trade, as well as the many indigenous tribes that David encountered.

The lasting importance of this large body of work will reside in its significant historical legacy, which will link the continent we had to the continent we have and allow viewers to imagine the continent we want in the future.

At the time of writing a number of Canadian museums have expressed considerable interest in David Thompson exhibitions with these paintings as the feature element. A book publisher, and a writer have been in contact with Joseph Cross regarding an art book that could be done when the works are completed.

            
The David Thompson Bicentennial Legacy Art Project is sponsored in part by the Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance and the Columbia Basin Trust

For information on the David Thompson Bicentennials Partnership and the many and varied projects, with contact information, please visit www.davidthompson200.org

Association of BC Land Surveyors