Under the theme of “Water,” the 2026 Samudra Art Prize brought together 286 artists at the Caudan Arts Centre as part of the exhibition WATER! Water in All Its Forms in Mauritius and Its Islands , on view through July 6. After deliberation, the jury reached its decision and honored 24 artists across several categories.
Many participants showcased their finest creations—a wonderful selection that must have given the jury a tough time! In the Open category, Catherine Li’s *Rooted for Life* won the Best Work award, while Karl Ahnee took home the Impact Prize for *H2O*. The Excellence in Technique award went to Malémé (Enzo Yeung Sik Yuen) for *Relique du passé*, and Cédric Massier stood out in the Contemporary Crafts category with *ToTem: “Remember the Future”*.
In the photography category, Javed Jeetoo won an award for *What Remains*, Astride Lalouette for *Feel Like Sailing* in the Digital/Animation/Video category, TONE for *Bake yaya* in Painting, and Siddick AB Nuckcheddy for the impressive *L’EAUTOPSIE* in Sculpture/Installation. The jury also awarded special mentions to Gloria Vivien and Shaun Beyond. In the Young category, the Visual Arts class at Lycée des Mascareignes took the top prize collectively with *Mama Dilo* —a work created by thirteen students that is as powerful as its title.
But the Samudra Art Prize also serves as a platform for raising environmental awareness. As part of this initiative, some of the two days of free conferences open to the public have already taken place, while others are still on the schedule. This Saturday, June 13, Eco-Sud hosted a mock trial titled “A Plea for Life” to explore the rights of nature (9:30 a.m.–11:00 a.m.), followed by a lecture by the Odysseo Foundation on the biodiversity of Saint Brandon featuring National Geographic Young Explorer Prashant Mohesh (11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.). On June 20, the focus will be on humpback whales with the Marine Discovery Center (9:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m.), Mauritian rivers with Reef Conservation (10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.), and a meeting with the Resort art collective (11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.).
Registration is free but required at caudanartscentre.com.
