Market Gallery exhibit highlights how Toronto helped shape the maple leaf into a national symbol
TORONTO, July 22, 2017 /CNW/ - The City of Toronto's Market Gallery showcases how Toronto nurtured the maple leaf into an eternal expression of Canadian identity in a new exhibit, Maple Leaf Forever: Toronto's Take on a National Symbol.
From July 22 to November 25, this artifact-rich exhibit examines and illustrates Toronto's embrace of the maple leaf as an emblem, promoting it across the country and worldwide.
"Over the past 150 years Torontonians have constantly created associations with the maple leaf as an inspirational object representing our collective identity," said Mayor John Tory. "This exhibition cleverly reveals the many ways that inspiration has occurred."
"The symbolic maple leaf is being worn, displayed and flown with tremendous pride in every corner of Ontario this sesquicentennial year," said Eleanor McMahon, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport. "It is a symbol that has united us over the years and one that cements the Canadian spirit here and abroad. This new exhibit will be a crowd pleaser."
From the Prince of Wales' visit to Toronto prior to Confederation to its use in commercial branding through the 20th century, the exhibit features over 200 artifacts and artworks that show how Toronto has engaged with and promoted the maple leaf from the 1840s to the present. Much more than ice hockey, Toronto's ties to the maple leaf include literature, education, royalty, songs, art, science, the military, community organizations and municipal and provincial governments.
"The maple leaf not only dominates our national flag, it is a pervasive symbol throughout our culture and history," said Councillor Michael Thompson (Ward 37 Scarborough Centre), Chair of the City's Economic Development Committee. "It is ingrained into our national consciousness in a way unmatched by any other symbol."
The Market Gallery, one of 10 historic sites operated by the City of Toronto, is located on the second floor of the South St. Lawrence Market at 95 Front St. E. Gallery hours are Tuesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The gallery is closed Sunday, Monday and holidays. More information about the gallery is available at http://www.toronto.ca/marketgallery. More information about the City's historic sites is available at http://www.toronto.ca/museums, on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/TOHistoricsites and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/historictoronto.
Maple Leaf Forever: Toronto's Take on a National Symbol, is presented by the City as part of TO Canada with Love in partnership with the Province of Ontario's Ontario150 Program.
Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities. In 2017, Toronto will honour Canada's 150th birthday with "TO Canada with Love," a year-long program of celebrations, commemorations and exhibitions. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can visit http://www.toronto.ca, call 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/TorontoComms and on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/cityofto.
SOURCE City of Toronto
Media contact: Shane Gerard, Strategic Communications, 416-397-5711, [email protected]
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