The 2014 Heritage Photo Exhibition will present a wide variety of perspectives on St. Martin heritage when it opens at Lagoonies Bistro & Bar on Saturday, December 6th starting at 7pm. The Exhibition will feature a brilliant array of imagery from the 2014 Heritage Photo Contest, which was developed by Les Fruits de Mer as a way to showcase local heritage and photographers, and also as an opportunity to create a public dialog about the island’s heritage. Everyone is encouraged to come celebrate the heritage of the island and the amazing work of these very talented photographers at Saturday’s grand opening event and the week-long Exhibition.
This year’s contest had a very specific format, while the theme—Vibrant and Vulnerable—was left open to interpretation. Each submission required two photos, one representing a vibrant aspect of the island’s heritage and one representing a vulnerable one, as well as the artist’s short written statement about the pieces. The entrants were free to define heritage as they saw fit, resulting in a kaleidoscopic variety of different entries.
“There are so many different types of heritage,” explains Les Fruits de Mer President Jenn Yerkes, “Natural heritage and traditional architecture are things we think of immediately, but our entrants also did a fantastic job capturing cultural traditions as well. The Exhibition will highlight not only a curated collection of beautiful photos, but also many fascinating stories.”
On Saturday, between the 7pm opening and the 9pm award presentation, attendees will have the opportunity to vote for the Erika Cannegieter-Smith People’s Choice Award, a $100 prize. According to Les Fruits de Mer co-founder Mark Yokoyama, “This contest and exhibition was created as a collaboration between Les Fruits de Mer and Be the Change SXM. Erika’s mission to foster community involvement guided the development of the contest, and inspired us to name the People’s Choice award in her honor.”
Judging took place in June by a panel of judges including photographers Agnes Etchegoyen and Olivia Roudon and biologist Amandine Vaslet. The Exhibition will feature the winning photos by Alexandre Guerre and youth winner Luna Valenti, as well as dozens of other impressive entries, and will run for the entire week following Saturday’s grand opening event. An online gallery of entries is available for viewing at http://www.lesfruitsdemer.com/category/vibrant-and-vulnerable/. The Exhibition is free and open to the public.
