Seeing through the eyes of a child can be difficult for adults, but the current exhibition of student photography at the Bermuda National Gallery allows just that. The exhibition, the result of a photography competition hosted by the Gallery, has as its theme "Your Bermuda - Faces, Places and Dreams."

The young entrants were required to submit an artist's statement along with their photograph, and together they convey an interesting range of perspectives and narratives. A total of 176 students from 10 schools submitted work for judging in the Gallery's sixth annual student competition, this year supported by American Airlines and Artcetera.

Acting Director, Lisa Howie, explained: "From September to December 2008 the BNG displayed 151 black and white images by one of Britain's most acclaimed photographers, Bill Brandt. The images were captivating, mysterious, and often very narrative.

"These images served as inspiration to this year's art competition, as the only accepted medium was photography. Although the number of submissions was less than previous years, our judges were very impressed with the quality of the work, the attention to composition, and the interesting paragraphs of explanation."

Department of Education Arts Officer, Wendell 'Shine' Hayward remarked on the different lighting and subject matter and how each student conveyed clearly what Bermuda means to them from a variety of perspectives. "There is a strong sense of literacy communicated through the art and the descriptive paragraphs," he noted.

Winners in each of six age categories will receive an Artcetera gift certificate. The first prize winners also receive a cash prize of $250 for their school to go towards art supplies. In addition, all winners and the names of their teachers will be placed in a draw for round-trip American Airlines tickets. All entrants will receive a certificate of participation for their portfolios, courtesy of BELCO.

The awards ceremony will take place this afternoon, Thursday January 8, at 4 p.m. at the Bermuda National Gallery in the City Hall.

The exhibition of student work will be on display at the Gallery until Saturday January 10. The Gallery is open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Saturdays between 10am and 2pm. Admission is free.