Says Festival an asset to tourism product
Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transportation and Telecommunications Hon. Ted Richardson recently received the first Info-Photo Book of Caribbean Living Statues Festival (CLSF) 2011-2012 published by the Beyond Writing Foundation, the initiator of this unique art.
The first edition of this storytelling by body language festival took place in December 2011 in Philipsburg where the heritage of Sint Maarten and the Caribbean was exhibited with performing arts.
"I think this is a great way to showcase our country’s heritage to our people and our visitors. I am looking forward towards the next exhibition since it will be my first one.
"The festival definitely plays a role in our tourism and adds an additional dimension. Congratulations to the organizers and much success with their future exhibitions. The new book will be an asset in addition to the already existing documentary and slide shows especially for those who were not able to view these living art works," Minister Hon. Ted Richardson said on Wednesday.
Morales, president of the Beyond Writing Foundation is very happy with this milestone: ‘It is important to make such unique happenings tangible in many ways. This hard covered, full colored Info-Photo book is one way, next to our 50 minutes documentary and the 30 minutes slide show, published in March this year.
This hard cover and full colored info-photo book is the first of its kind on Sint Maarten and comprises 64 pages. This book is a candy for the eye. It showcases the nicest living statues of Sint Maarten’s CLSF first and second edition. It can serve easily as a special gift for many occasions, wherein the talents of Sint Maarten’s youth are shown,’ Morales stated.
In December 2012 the 2nd edition of this festival was extended with an exhibition of the Statues by Night in the Maho shopping area.
In the foreword of the info-photo book great recognition is given to the main sponsor, The Mondriaan Foundation of the Netherlands, which contributed to this info book production in 2012.
Morales expresses her thanks to the other sponsors who made both editions of Caribbean Living Statues Festivals possible: The Tourist Bureau of Sint Maarten (2011), the Prince Bernard Cultural Fund Caribbean (2011/2012)), the Representative of Holland in Philipsburg (2011) and all other social sponsors, but especially the statue participants and the volunteers.
Partners in the CLSF-1st and 2nd edition were Arlene Halley, director of the former Motiance Dance School and the World Statues Foundation, based in Arnhem, the Netherlands.
Morales said: ‘This info-photo book is an ode to performing arts lovers and the caretakers of our cultural Heritage. We hope to continue expanding our horizons with this unique form of art in the Caribbean region by reviving our heroes and showing our Cultural Heritage and way of life to the world.
‘We hope that the private sector and government of Sint Maarten will support the Caribbean Living Statues Festival event this year. Every support is needed and if we want Sint Maarten to be the focal point for CLSF in the Caribbean. We just want everyone to enjoy this form of art that can be considered as an asset in diversifying the cultural and tourist product on this Island,’ Loekie Morales said.
A very limited amount of copies of the info- photo book is available. There are also two DVD documentaries on the CLSF 2011 and 2012 available at Beyond Writing Foundation. To get your copy, call 556-2735.
PHOTO CUTLINE: L to R, Loekie Morales presenting Minister Hon. Ted Richardson a copy of the book.