GRAND CASE, St. Martin – Residents and visitors are invited to celebrate island heritage and the art of photographers of all ages at the 2016 Heritage Photo Exhibition.
The Exhibition will present a wide variety of perspectives on St. Martin heritage at its free public opening at Amuseum Naturalis on Friday, June 24, from 6:00pm-10:00pm. The Exhibition will feature images from every entrant in the 2016 Heritage Photo Contest, which was developed by Les Fruits de Mer as an annual way to showcase local heritage and photographers, and as an opportunity to create a public dialogue about the island’s heritage.
Over 140 entries were received for the theme of this year’s contest: The Spirit of St. Martin. “Everyone knows that St. Martin has a unique spirit, whether you’re a lifelong resident or a first-time visitor,” said Les Fruits de Mer President Jenn Yerkes.
“When we chose The Spirit of St. Martin as our theme for 2016, we hoped to see a broad and creative range of interpretation, and we did! It’s really inspiring. Every entry shows a different perspective on what makes this place so special. Plus, the Exhibition is a great opportunity to enjoy art created right here on the island,” Yerkes continued.
The Exhibition will include the first-prize winning image from the overall competition, by Bianca Schladt, and the first-prize winning image from the youth competition, by Luna Valenti. At least one photo from every participant will be on display so that guests can vote during the opening, for their choice of the Erika Cannegieter-Smith People’s Choice Award.
This award honors the founder of Be the Change SXM. An awards ceremony will take place during the opening at 9:00pm. Prizes in all three categories will include not only cash, but also a wildlife book, a t-shirt, and a gift certificate to Lagoonies Bistro and Bar.
For anyone who can’t attend the opening night, the Exhibition will also be free for public viewing from 4:00pm-8:00pm on Sunday, June 26, and Thursday, June 30, the last publicly open days planned for the pop-up Caribbean natural history museum Amuseum Naturalis.
Amuseum Naturalis is located at 96 Boulevard de Grand Case in Grand Case. The contest gallery is online at http://www.lesfruitsdemer.com/category/spirit-of-st-martin/.
Photos
The winning photo captures The Spirit of St. Martin with a vibrant portrait brimming with unique local personality. (Photo by Bianca Schladt)
The rich past and present tradition of the Marigot market inspired Luna Valenti, winner of the youth competition. (Photo by Luna Valenti)
