Before there was America, there was Columbia. For much of our nation’s history, America’s alternative name, Columbia, was a byword for the shared values that united a diverse and fractious American society.
Photograph by Francis Smith
Gallery friend and talented photographer & filmmaker Francis Smith will grace Principle Gallery with his presence on Thursday, April 26th from 6-8pm for the inaugural fundraising party for his new project, American By Another Name.
Columbian Press photograph by Francis Smith
In 2011, Francis began studying the use of the name Columbia throughout American history. Gaining inspiration from his roots, traced back to before the American Revolution, he found the name Columbia to be the connection between all of his ancestors. Whether it was Columbia, Tennessee, Columbia County, New York, or Columbia University, it seemed as though everyone could be linked with the word Columbia.
Francis’ interest in Columbia is not limited to just places that share the name, but rather the people who inhabit or are influenced by those places. He is exploring the name’s history and looking at contemporary American life in Columbia places. If you have a connection to the name Columbia and would like to participate in Francis’ research feel free to contact him here.
For more images that Francis has collected, in addition to updates about his search across America, visit his blog here or the Facebook page here.
Columbia Township photography by Francis Smith
If his monthly work in American Art Collector and American Fine Art is any indication of his multimedia project to come we cannot wait to see what he has to show us. Check out some of his work here and here.
To get more information about the fundraising event or if you wish to attend, please RSVP on the America By Another Name event page.
If you are unable to attend the event but would still like to make a tax-deductible donation, please click here.
America By Another Name is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization.
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