The photo exhibition “Reflections on the Sea” comes alive in the village of Marinka

This year the Via Pontica Foundation marks its 10th anniversary — a decade of active work promoting environmental awareness, cultural heritage and sustainable development along the Black Sea coast.

With the kind assistance of the Marinka Mayor’s Office, on 27 October the photo exhibition “Reflections on the Sea” by the well-known Burgas photographer Hristo Anestev was opened in front of its building. The event was organised by the Via Pontica Foundation with the support of the “Marinka 2024” Community Centre and is part of the foundation’s long-term initiative to increase public engagement with the protection of the marine and coastal ecosystem.

The exhibition presents an impressive series of photographs taken along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, capturing the power, beauty and fragility of the sea. Through Hristo Anestev’s lens the sea comes alive as a symbol of human conscience — majestic yet vulnerable. Each photograph carries its own poetic view of the shores, the waves and the people for whom the sea is a way of life, an inspiration and a responsibility.

Over the next two weeks residents and visitors of Marinka will be able to enjoy the inspiring images, displayed outdoors in front of the Mayor’s Office — an invitation to reflect on our relationship with nature and on our duty to protect it.

“Through this exhibition we want to make people think about the beauty and fragility of the sea — it is not only a source of inspiration, but also a living organism that needs our care,” the organisers said.

The exhibition is part of the Via Pontica Foundation’s efforts to promote educational and cultural initiatives linked to the blue economy and the sustainable development of the Black Sea region, building in young people a love of nature and a sense of responsibility towards it through the power of art.

After the official opening, a creative workshop was held with pupils from “Hristo Botev” Primary School in the village of Marinka, led by Prof. Pepa Miteva. The theme of the workshop was the protection of the marine ecosystem and the role of art as a means of environmental education. The young participants had the opportunity to draw the sea as they dream of seeing it — clean, calm and full of life. Their works will be displayed in the school building and will remain accessible to visitors over the coming weeks.

A video report from the event can be seen here.

The events are co-financed by the European Union – NextGenerationEU.