Exhibit Opening and Book Launch at Maritime Museum

A stunning collection of photographs taken by the man who popularized the term, "Wooden Ships and Iron Men", will go on display today, June 6, at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic.

The new exhibit, entitled "A Camera on the Banks: The Work of Frederick William Wallace", features more than one hundred handsome and thrilling photographs that chronicle the final days of Nova Scotian schooners under sail.

"In many respects, the Wallace collection is the jewel in the crown that is the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic's photo collection," said Dan Conlin, the museum's curator of marine history. "As well as providing incredible images, Mr. Wallace included detailed notes for each photo. He recorded names, places, dates; everything needed to make these photographs valuable historic documents."

Between 1911 and 1916, Mr. Wallace made seven voyages to the fishing banks off Nova Scotia on sailing schooners. It was on these trips that the young journalist from Montreal took photographs with his simple box camera, recording the ships, the men, and the heroic work that embodied a century-old way of life.

Despite his slight build and inexperience, Mr. Wallace was no tourist during his voyages. He gleefully stepped out of his role as an observer and became a willing member of the crew; labouring alongside the fishermen as he earned their respect.

In conjunction with the opening, the exhibit's guest curator M. Brook Taylor, will release his latest book "A Camera on the Banks: Frederick William Wallace and the Fisherman of Nova Scotia". The groundbreaking book delves beyond Mr. Wallace's photographic work to explore the equally important story of "the Man behind the camera".

"Wallace's life is easily as interesting as his work," said Mr. Taylor, a history professor at Mount Saint Vincent University. "His father, Capt. William Wallace, ran away to sea as a young man, sailed the oceans on the great square-riggers and worked his way up through the ranks to the position of captain. Young Fred idolized his captain father and wanted nothing more than to live up to his example. The voyages aboard the banks schooners were his way of doing so."

Also on hand for the opening is a large contingent of the Wallace family, who travelled to Halifax in order to pay tribute to their relative.

The public is invited to attend a free showing of the exhibit and the book launch, tonight at 7 p.m. as the museum holds a special evening celebration in honour of Wallace and his work.

The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic is located at 1675 Lower Water St. in Halifax, and is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.