An art exhibit commemorating 10 missing Manitoba children has arrived at the Heritage North Museum, where it will remain through Aug. 31.
The "Voices for the Missing" gallery arrived in Thompson on Aug. 1, after a stay in Norway House. The exhibit was first unveiled at the Manitoba legislature on May 25, and is spending its summer touring the province.
The art exhibit was created by artists and students from the Graffiti Art Gallery in Winnipeg, and takes on a number of forms - from straight-up portraits to abstract representations. The project was organized by Child Find Manitoba, who connected the artists with the friends and families of their subjects.
One of the pieces honours Dwayne Ross, who went missing from downtown Thompson on Oct. 1, 2003. Ross, who was 18 at the time of the disappearance, has never been found.
"The City of Thompson welcomes this exhibit to our community toincrease awareness of Manitoba's missing children and Child FindManitoba. Thompson is dedicated to supporting Northern families andgrowing strong community," said Mayor Tim Johnston. "It'simportant that exhibits like this are shown in the North and weappreciate the opportunity to showcase the Voices for the Missing ArtExhibit in Thompson."
"We are excited that we are able to share the Voices for the Missing Art Exhibit with people right across the province," said ChristyDzikowicz, director of Child Find Manitoba. "Many of our missingchildren come from rural and Northern areas and it is so importantthat their local communities also have direct access to thisimportant exhibit. Together we can show families, like the Rossfamily, that their child has not been forgotten."
Last year, Winnipeg high school students delivered monologues on behalf of missing Manitoba children as part of a Voices for the Missing event. Voices for the Missing is supported by the cities of Winnipeg and Portage la Prairie, the Manitoba Arts Network, Peak of the Market, and Gardewine North.
