SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.- It began as an epic global search for extraordinary and geographically diverse photographs of family life, friendship and love. This search took the form of a photographic competition -- probably the biggest and almost certainly the most ambitious of its kind, ever to be conducted. Boasting a world record prize pool and renowned New York based Magnum photographer Elliott Erwitt as Chief Judge, M.I.L.K. attracted the work of leading photographers from 164 countries, and eventuated in a phenomenal 40,000 submissions. The resulting M.I.L.K. Collection comprises 300 stunning photographs.

Winning photographers included two from Washington State -- Alan Berner, a staff photographer at The Seattle Times and Pat Justis, a self-taught photographer based in Olympia.

M.I.L.K. creator and publisher Geoff Blackwell said, "M.I.L.K. began as a dream, became an ambitious adventure and gathered strength as it grew. We see now that it took on a life of its own, ceased to be a project and became instead a gift to all who experience it." Unforgettable moments reflecting human life from its first fragile moments to its last, compelling imagery rich in sentiment and universal in its appeal, the M.I.L.K. Exhibition reminds us that humanity is to be celebrated.

The international travelling M.I.L.K. Exhibition was first launched at Grand Central Terminal, New York in 2001, to public and critical acclaim. More than 600,000 people attended. It has since been staged in Auckland, Sydney, Melbourne and London.

This Seattle Center event marks the beginning of an extensive two year US tour, and is the direct result of repeated requests from the Seattle public to stage the M.I.L.K. Exhibition locally. The M.I.L.K. Exhibition will be on view from 5 June to 8 July at the Fisher Pavilion Rooftop at Seattle Center.