Oliver Jude's Underwater Photographs Show at Monaco's Oceanographic Museum, Now thru June 27

Olivier Jude has brought back a testimony from his expeditions to the depths of the Med. An explosion of color on glossy paper. Monaco's Oceanographic Museum is showing almost fifty of his prints from today, 6 to 27 June. Visitors are invited to share this underwater photographer's journey and experience the rich biodiversity of the Mediterranean seabed.

It only accounts for 0.8% of the surface area of the world's oceans, but the Mediterranean is full of sometimes unexpected treasures. It is both splendid and fragile, is fascinating, and has been the subject of numerous explorations. Olivier Jude was smitten right from the start and has often tried to uncover its secrets. Since the advent of digital photography, he has undertaken many dives, camera in hand.

His exhibition, which opens at the Oceanographic Museum on 5 June 2012, is entitled "Treasures of the Mediterranean Sea" and includes his most beautiful shots. It transports us to protected areas of the Costa Brava in Spain, the underwater nature reserve in Port Cros and, of course, the territorial waters of the Principality of Monaco. Around fifty photos, taken between 2006 and 2011, portray the very wide variety of species found in this intercontinental sea, which is almost entirely landlocked. A voyage of discovery that will convince everyone of the urgent need to protect marine fauna and flora.

Further information on the artist is available at www.phoctopus.com. And for more about the museum, go to www.oceano.org.

The exhibition shows from 6 to 27 June 2012 at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco.