The 50 Paces Project

In 2004/05, I lived my father’s island life waiting for the ice to form on the river so I could cross to shore. [see Watching the ice form… a month spent on an island – off-line, off-grid, off-shore.]

Once the ice was formed, it had to be tested to make sure it was safe to cross. The rule is that every 50 paces you stop and chop a hole in the ice to test its thickness. Where the ice is safe to cross, you marking the safe path by putting a tree in the holes where the ice is deep enough. These trees become the safe path, and a road to and from the island while the river is frozen. And when the ice becomes too thin, they fall over, and you know it’s not safe.

When I got back to Toronto, I found myself counting my steps and seeing where I was at 50 pace, and 100 paces, and 150 paces and so on.

I wanted to share my life with my dad, and the idea for the 50 Paces Project was born. I invited photographers from around the world to participate and we hung the photos on the trees across the frozen river.

The 50 Paces Project is an art installation on a floating gallery / frozen river originally developed for my father. Photos are taken in increments of 50 paces from people’s homes and hung on the corresponding trees marking the safe path every 50 paces from Moose Island to the shore.