In June, photographer and SVA alumnus Mohammid Walbrook will lead a two-week creative program on the Caribbean island
The Caribbean island of Barbuda has historically been less built up than its neighbor and partner in nationhood, Antigua, with the land communally owned by its residents and a comparatively light tourism footprint serving to preserve its landscapes and wildlife sanctuaries to an uncommon degree.
That will change soon, though, says Mohammid Walbrook (BFA 2016 Photography and Video), who grew up on the island and works there today as a documentary photographer. Hurricane Irma decimated Barbudans’ homes and businesses in 2017, leading to a temporary mass evacuation of the island and an influx of interest from developers, intent on building large-scale resorts and related businesses. And though “many Barbudans are not happy with the way the change came,” Walbrook says, work on a number of projects has already begun.
This June, Walbrook will lead the SVA Destinations program Portraits of Barbuda: Its History, People, and Way of Life, offering participants a chance to learn about and be inspired by the island’s culture, history and natural beauty before it is irrevocably transformed. Over the course of the two-week trip, students will visit locations including archeological sites, beaches, uninhabited islands and Codrington Lagoon, home to the Caribbean’s largest frigate bird colony. They will document their experiences to create visual portraits of the island in the media of their choice and, if they choose, in cross-disciplinary collaboration with fellow participants. Tuition includes accommodations, welcome and farewell meals, and transportation to site visits.
SVA has also created a group of scholarships to support students and educators at Sir McChesney George Secondary School, the high school on Barbuda, and to encourage cultural exchange.
In February, SVA Executive Vice President Anthony P. Rhodes traveled to the island in advance of the Destinations program, and he and Walbrook visited the school to meet with Acting Principal Rexford Harry and art teacher Emilio John and tour its facilities. This summer, SVA will welcome two students from Sir McChesney George for the College’s Pre-College Program, and Harry and John for the Summer Teacher Workshop.
From left: art teacher Emilio John, school principal Rexford Harry, photographer and SVA alumnus Mohammid Walbrook and SVA Executive Vice President Anthony P. Rhodes at Sir McChesney George Secondary School in Codrington, Barbuda, in February.
Walbrook’s photography has been featured in Antigua Observer, Harper’s Bazaar, Surfer and The New York Times. Follow him on Instagram @mohammidwalbrookphotos, and on Facebook at facebook.com/barbudahorseracing.
For more information on the SVA Destinations program in Barbuda, click here.
