Acclaimed Multimedia Exhibit ``Ashes and Snow'' Makes Its West Coast Debut in Santa Monica; New Version of the ``Nomadic Museum'' Opens alongside Santa Monica Pier January 14-May 14, 2006.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. -- Ashes and Snow, an internationally acclaimed exhibition of photographic artworks by Gregory Colbert that explores the natural interaction between man and other animals, will make its West Coast debut alongside Santa Monica Pier starting January 14, 2006. The exhibition, which includes over 100 large-scale photographs, a 35mm film and a novel in letters, will be on display in a custom-made Nomadic Museum, a first-of-its-kind temporary structure, through May 14, 2006.

Santa Monica was a natural fit as a host city for an exhibition that reveals and promotes peaceful interaction between species. Santa Monica's sustainable city plan and commitment to green living have earned it a place among the nation's top five "sustainable cities," receiving high scores for green building incentives, environmentally-conscious waste management practices and renewable energy policies.

Misti Kerns, President and CEO of Santa Monica Convention and Visitors Bureau, who is working closely with Ashes and Snow, is excited about the partnership. "We're very pleased to be working with the Ashes and Snow team to bring this incredible and ultimately very important exhibit to the public. Ashes and Snow dovetails perfectly with Santa Monica's artistically dynamic culture and care for our environment."

Jessica Cusick, cultural affairs manager for the City of Santa Monica, echoed Kerns' enthusiasm. "Ashes and Snow will be enjoyed not only by members of our community and the surrounding cities, but also by international visitors. Language is not a barrier. The works in the show speak to the soul."

The 56,000-square-foot structure was designed by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban using sustainable building practices. The Nomadic Museum is composed largely of recyclable and reusable materials, including 152 steel shipping containers and paper tubing.

Ashes and Snow represents 14 years of world travel and photography for Gregory Colbert, a Canadian born artist who has been dubbed "a new master" by Photo magazine. Since 1992, Colbert has undertaken more than 30 expeditions to such far-flung locales as India, Egypt, Burma and Kenya to photograph the interaction between humans and other animals. The culmination of those expeditions, Ashes and Snow, premiered in 2002 at the Arsenale in Venice, Italy, to a record 100,000 visitors, making it the largest solo exhibition ever mounted in that country.

In 2005 the show moved to New York City's famed Pier 54 where it was attended by 500,000 visitors and received much critical acclaim. Ashes and Snow's New York installation was called "the season's most original art exhibition" by Town and Country magazine. The New York Times wrote, "The power of the images comes less from their formal beauty than from the way they envelop the viewer in their mood.... They are simply windows to a world in which silence and patience govern time."

Following its successful runs in Venice and New York, Ashes and Snow is expected to attract large numbers of regional, national and international visitors in what will be its second U.S. presentation and third staging worldwide. The show is constantly evolving and has changed since its appearance in New York. Colbert has made two additional expeditions -- to Borneo and Belize -- and has added new photographic artworks to the collection, including work featuring orangutans, hornbills, jaguars and other exotic animals. The Nomadic Museum has also been redesigned since New York with a side-by-side configuration and a total of three film screens. The enlarged center screen will display Colbert's 60 minute film, narrated by actor Laurence Fishburne, and two newly added screens will display recently filmed Borneo and Belize expedition footage edited by Colbert and Academy Award-winning editor Pietro Scalia.

Ashes and Snow encourages attendance by youngsters with a program that offers free admission to grades K-6 school groups with confirmed reservations. A grant covers the cost of bus transportation for all Santa Monica schools as well as Title 1 schools in the greater Los Angeles area. (For more information, visit www.ashesandsnoweducation.org.)

The show supports the Flying Elephants Foundation (www.flyingelephants.org), a non-profit organization that promotes awareness of environmental, social and cultural issues through artistic endeavors.

Exhibition hours are Tuesday-Thursday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday noon to 7 p.m. On Mondays the show is open for groups by special arrangement. It is also available for private functions during select times. Tickets are available onsite during regular exhibition hours, at www.TicketWeb.com or by phone at [phone]. Prices are $15.00 for adults, $12.00 for Santa Monica residents and senior citizens and $10.00 for students. Children under 6 are free. Special pricing is also available for groups of 10 or more.

For further information about Ashes and Snow and Santa Monica packages for visitors traveling to Santa Monica to see the exhibit, please click on the Things To Do section at www.santamonica.com. For high resolution photos, please contact Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau at [phone].

Information about Santa Monica hotels, restaurants and other cultural and recreational activities is available at the newly redesigned Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau Web site (www.santamonica.com). Assistance is also available onsite at any of the four Santa Monica Visitor Information Centers: 1920 Main St., Ste. B; the kiosk at 1400 Ocean Ave.; the cart on Third Street Promenade and the customer service desk in the Santa Monica Place mall. Visitors can call Santa Monica CVB toll free at [phone].

Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau, a non-profit, non-member business, is Santa Monica's official destination marketing organization. Its mandate is to increase visitor expenditures, tourism revenues and local employment opportunities through promotion of the area as a travel destination.