Michael Awad Creates New Exhibition, THE ENTIRE CITY PROJECT: ROYAL ONTARIO MUSEUM, in Honor of the Museum's Centennial

To mark the ROM's Centennial Toronto-based, award-winning artist and architect Michael Awad has created a stunning new installation titled The Entire City Project: Royal Ontario Museum. Awad captures every square inch of the ROM in his distinct photographic style and this is the first time he has gone behind-the-scenes to photograph an entire public institution. The exhibition is part of the Scotiabank Contact Photography Festival and will be on display in the ROM's Roloff Beny Gallery starting this Saturday, May 3, 2014.

The exhibition launch is part of this weekend's ROM Revealed Weekend which will celebrate the Museum's Centennial with free general admission during the weekend along with a rare chance to go behind the gallery walls and see inside the entire Museum.

The Entire City Project: Royal Ontario Museum is the result of a year long commission and presents the ROM using Awad's signature technique of continuous horizontal bands of imagery. Awad's photographs capture the ROM's vastness from the unseen treasures that reside in vaults behind the scenes to our gallery spaces, DNA lab, storage vaults, workspaces and more.

"We were honoured to work with Michael to create this stunning new exhibition that presents a never before seen perspective of the Museum, said Janet Carding, the ROM's Director and CEO. ``His images capture a real moment in time that will serve as a lasting reminder of the ROM during its Centennial year. It's a must-see exhibition that will change how visitors view the Museum."

This exhibition is part of Awad's ambitious undertaking The Entire City Project, in which he is working to capture all aspects of Toronto's daily life. "The ROM is the single most important fragment of the Entire City Project to date," said Michael Awad. "The ROM is like a village, and at any given moment, there are hundreds of people doing things that no one sees. This project brings those people and their work to life, with thousands of feet of images of over a hundred of spaces in the Museum."

"We are delighted to partner again with the ROM to showcase Michael Awad's The Entire City Project," says Darcy Killeen, Executive Director, Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival. "The Festival continues to present significant International and Canadian programming thanks to artists like Michael Awad and to institutions like the ROM. We hope that our audience of over one million CONTACT visitors has the opportunity to see this tremendous project." The Entire City Project: Royal Ontario Museum will be part of the opening night of the ROM's Friday Night Live series which opens this Friday, May 2, 2014. Information on tickets to Friday Night Live is available at www.rom.on.ca/fridays.

A companion hardcover book that features Awad's ROM project along with other images from his stunning collection of work is now available at the ROM Store for $39.95 (Member Price: $36).

Michael Awad is represented across Canada and internationally by the Nicholas Metivier Gallery of Toronto.

To learn more about The Entire City Project: Royal Ontario Museum visit www.rom.on.ca

Photo Credit: The Entire City Project: Rom Ontario Museum 2014 Michael Awad chromogenic print. 48 x 72 inches. Edition of 8