Tom Thomson Centennial Swim
tom thomson centennial swim
paul walde
march 7 – september 20 | GALLERy A
On July 8, 1917, Group of Seven painter Tom Thomson’s life met a tragic end when he drowned in Canoe Lake, a popular access point to the waterways in Algonqiun Park, Ontario. One hundred years later, Canadian artist Paul Walde swam the 3 km length of the lake for his work titled Tom Thomson Centennial Swim.
The swim was accompanied by a series of interconnected events: a brass band with a mandolin soloist performing a new long form music composition by Walde, three synchronized swimming routines a various points along the route, and a flotilla of canoes carrying the band.
The work primarily exists in two forms – that of the event itself and an audio/video work based on the footage of the event.