Di Anna Brenna
Ciao, oggi vi voglio presentare una fotografa belga, Sanne De Wilde, che personalmente mi piace davvero tanto.
Il primo dei suoi lavori che ho avuto modo di apprezzare è The Island of the colorblind, che è stato esposto ad Arles un paio d’anni fa e che mi ha subito affascinato. Ho cominciato a cercare il libro, ma ahimè tutte le copie sono state vendute in un batter d’occhio e dopo poco era già fuori catalogo. Dopo aver invano setacciato il web alla ricerca, mi sono presa pure la briga di contattare la De Wilde per capire se ce ne fosse qualche copia ancora disponibile, ma ahimè a meno di 300 euro non c’era nulla di disponibile. :-/ Speriamo che prima o poi lo ristampino…
Date un’occhiata a tutti i suoi lavori, perchè secondo me merita davvero. Questo è il suo sito e questo è il suo profilo su Lensculture
Anna
Sanne De Wilde (Belgio, 1987) nella sua fotografia esplora il ruolo della genetica nelle vite della gente e quanto questo contribuisca a formare e influenzare le comunità. Le sue fotografie raffigurano persone che soffrono di una condizione che le rende vulnerabli agli occhi della società.
Si è laureata con lode con un Master in Fine Arts al Kask a Gand nel 2012. La sua serie fotografica “The dwarf empire” (L’impero dei nani ndt) è stata premiata con il Photo Academy Award 2012 e con l’International Photography Award Emergentes DST nel 2013. La serie Snow White (Biancaneve ndt) si è aggiudicata il 16° Prix National Photographie Ouverte e il NuWork Award for Photographic Excellence. Sanne si è inoltre aggiudicata il Nikon Press Award nel 2014 e nel 2016 come giovane fotografa più promettente.
Il British Journal of Photography ha selezionato la De Wilde come uno dei “migliori talenti emergenti del mondo” nel 2014. Inoltre ha recentemente ricevuto il Firecracker Grant 2016, il PHmuseum Women’s Grant e il de Zilveren Camera award per “The Island of the Colorblind” (L’isola dei daltonici ndt) e ancora più recentemente, nel 2019, ha vinto il World Press Photo per il suo progetto “Land of Ibeji” (La terra di Ibeji ndt) in collaborazione con la fotografa di Noor Benedicte Kurzen. I suo lavori sono stati pubblicati su tutte le maggiori testate internazionali (Guardian, New Yorker, Le Monde, CNN, Vogue) e messi in mostra in varie occasioni (Voies OFF, Tribeca Film Festival, Circulations, Lagos Photo, Lodz Fotofestiwal, IDFA, STAM and EYE).
Dal 2013, Sanne De Wilde lavora per il giornale olandese De Volkskrantm, ad Amsterdam e dal 2017 è membro di Noor.
Fonte (libera traduzione dal sito della fotografa)
The Island of the colorblind
8. Jaynard (achromatope) is playing in the garden with the branch of a banana tree that had to be cut down. He’s wearing the mask I made for him for Halloween. He loved it so he kept putting it on the days after. The Island of the Colorblind.In the late eighteenth century a catastrophic typhoon swept over Pingelap, a tiny atoll in the Pacific Ocean. One of the survivors, the king, carried the rare achromatopsia-gen that causes complete colorblindness. The king went on to have many children and as time passed by, the hereditary condition affected the isolated community and most islanders started seeing the world in black and white.Achromatopsia is characterized by extreme light sensitivity, poor vision, and complete inability to distinguish colors. Portraying the islanders that by their fellow Micronesians are described as ‘blind’ resulted in a conceptual selection of images that mask their eyes, their face, or their ‘vision’ and at the same time invite the viewer to enter a dreamful world of colorful possibilities. 
4. A pile of fishing nets in the shape of a mountain close to the domestic airport in Pohnpei from where the tiny airplane (carrying 4-6 people) sets off to Pingelap. The Island of the Colorblind.In the late eighteenth century a catastrophic typhoon swept over Pingelap, a tiny atoll in the Pacific Ocean. One of the survivors, the king, carried the rare achromatopsia-gen that causes complete colorblindness. The king went on to have many children and as time passed by, the hereditary condition affected the isolated community and most islanders started seeing the world in black and white.Achromatopsia is characterized by extreme light sensitivity, poor vision, and complete inability to distinguish colors. Portraying the islanders that by their fellow Micronesians are described as ‘blind’ resulted in a conceptual selection of images that mask their eyes, their face, or their ‘vision’ and at the same time invite the viewer to enter a dreamful world of colorful possibilities. 
3. Eric (achromatope) is posing for a flashlight-portrait. On Pingelap there is only solar electricity, at night everyone walks along the one, main street with a torch. I asked him to hold still and look at the light. Naturally, because of his sensitivity to light, his eyes turn to the back of his head while looking into the light. The Island of the Colorblind.In the late eighteenth century a catastrophic typhoon swept over Pingelap, a tiny atoll in the Pacific Ocean. One of the survivors, the king, carried the rare achromatopsia-gen that causes complete colorblindness. The king went on to have many children and as time passed by, the hereditary condition affected the isolated community and most islanders started seeing the world in black and white.Achromatopsia is characterized by extreme light sensitivity, poor vision, and complete inability to distinguish colors. Portraying the islanders that by their fellow Micronesians are described as ‘blind’ resulted in a conceptual selection of images that mask their eyes, their face, or their ‘vision’ and at the same time invite the viewer to enter a dreamful world of colorful possibilities. 
7. The parrot with its squinting eye half open was the beginning of the project; a ‘tropical’ symbol for colors. It was later colored by an achromatope not aware of which colors she was using (yet applying them quite correctly). The Island of the Colorblind.In the late eighteenth century a catastrophic typhoon swept over Pingelap, a tiny atoll in the Pacific Ocean. One of the survivors, the king, carried the rare achromatopsia-gen that causes complete colorblindness. The king went on to have many children and as time passed by, the hereditary condition affected the isolated community and most islanders started seeing the world in black and white.Achromatopsia is characterized by extreme light sensitivity, poor vision, and complete inability to distinguish colors. Portraying the islanders that by their fellow Micronesians are described as ‘blind’ resulted in a conceptual selection of images that mask their eyes, their face, or their ‘vision’ and at the same time invite the viewer to enter a dreamful world of colorful possibilities. 
6. On the way back from a picknick to one of the uninhabited small islands around Pingelap with the colorblind Pingelapese and all the children of the one school of the island. The bay is now protected, islanders are no longer allowed to fish for turtles. Because of the infrared colors the scene looks very romantic, at the same time there’s the visual connotation of the boats full of refugees setting off for a better future. The Island of the Colorblind.In the late eighteenth century a catastrophic typhoon swept over Pingelap, a tiny atoll in the Pacific Ocean. One of the survivors, the king, carried the rare achromatopsia-gen that causes complete colorblindness. The king went on to have many children and as time passed by, the hereditary condition affected the isolated community and most islanders started seeing the world in black and white.Achromatopsia is characterized by extreme light sensitivity, poor vision, and complete inability to distinguish colors. Portraying the islanders that by their fellow Micronesians are described as ‘blind’ resulted in a conceptual selection of images that mask their eyes, their face, or their ‘vision’ and at the same time invite the viewer to enter a dreamful world of colorful possibilities. 
5. Jaynard (achromatope) plays with a disco-light-torch I brought from Belgium. I asked him what he saw. He answered ‘colors’ and kept staring into the light. The Island of the Colorblind.In the late eighteenth century a catastrophic typhoon swept over Pingelap, a tiny atoll in the Pacific Ocean. One of the survivors, the king, carried the rare achromatopsia-gen that causes complete colorblindness. The king went on to have many children and as time passed by, the hereditary condition affected the isolated community and most islanders started seeing the world in black and white.Achromatopsia is characterized by extreme light sensitivity, poor vision, and complete inability to distinguish colors. Portraying the islanders that by their fellow Micronesians are described as ‘blind’ resulted in a conceptual selection of images that mask their eyes, their face, or their ‘vision’ and at the same time invite the viewer to enter a dreamful world of colorful possibilities. 
2. Jaynard (achromatope) climbs a tree in the garden, to pick fruits and play. I took the picture while he was climbing back down. The sun comes peeking through the branches; bright light makes him keep his eyes closed. Sadly local people are often not growing their own food. But the trees around them naturally grow coconuts, breadfruit, bananas and leaves used to chew the betelnuts. The Island of the Colorblind.In the late eighteenth century a catastrophic typhoon swept over Pingelap, a tiny atoll in the Pacific Ocean. One of the survivors, the king, carried the rare achromatopsia-gen that causes complete colorblindness. The king went on to have many children and as time passed by, the hereditary condition affected the isolated community and most islanders started seeing the world in black and white.Achromatopsia is characterized by extreme light sensitivity, poor vision, and complete inability to distinguish colors. Portraying the islanders that by their fellow Micronesians are described as ‘blind’ resulted in a conceptual selection of images that mask their eyes, their face, or their ‘vision’ and at the same time invite the viewer to enter a dreamful world of colorful possibilities. 
1. A Pingelapese child is playing with fire. On the island they burn all the trash. At the same time, holding and moving around a burning branch is good to keep the mosquitos away. An achromatopic picture-painting, filled in with watercolorpaint by someone with achromatopic vision. The Island of the Colorblind.In the late eighteenth century a catastrophic typhoon swept over Pingelap, a tiny atoll in the Pacific Ocean. One of the survivors, the king, carried the rare achromatopsia-gen that causes complete colorblindness. The king went on to have many children and as time passed by, the hereditary condition affected the isolated community and most islanders started seeing the world in black and white.Achromatopsia is characterized by extreme light sensitivity, poor vision, and complete inability to distinguish colors. Portraying the islanders that by their fellow Micronesians are described as ‘blind’ resulted in a conceptual selection of images that mask their eyes, their face, or their ‘vision’ and at the same time invite the viewer to enter a dreamful world of colorful possibilities.
Qui anche un video con lo sfogliato del libro (se per caso ne vedete una copia ad un prezzo accettabile, mi avvertite per favore? :-))
The dwarf empire
Snow White
Land of Ibeji
NIGERIA, Igbo-Ora, October 2018. Igbo-Ora, the self proclaimed ‘Twin Capital of the World’ has earned its nickname by the unusually large number of twin births in the region. Research has suggested that the multiple births could be related to the (over)consumption of local crops by the women in the region of Igbo Ora. Although no direct relation between dietary intake and twin births has been proved, a research study carried out by the University of Lagos Teaching Hospital has suggested that a chemical found in Igbo-Ora women and the peelings of a widely consumed tuber (yams) could be causing twins births. Another possible explanation is genetics. 
NIGERIA, Gwagwalada, April 2018. The children play with cookies packaging. The Vine Heritage Home Foundation is an orphanage situated in Gwagwalada, one hour drive from the Federal Capital, Abuja. It was founded by Olusola Stevens and his wife an affiliate of Christian Missionary foundation. The two missionaries created a shelter for children whose life was endangered by the infanticide practices performed by the neighbouring Bassa communities. If a mother dies during child birth or while nursing a baby, the baby is considered evil and must therefore be buried (alive) with the deceased mother. Over 70% of the children currently living in Vine Heritage Home were rescued for this very reason. The belief that twins (multiple births) are an abomination makes them suffer a similar fate. Twins are killed shortly after birth; being left to starve, poisoned, or buried alive. Twins and other children killing is illegal in Nigeria. The criminal code section 316 defines the conditions of the homicide. Yet, the government agents struggle to stop the practice. 
NIGERIA, Gwagwalada, April 2018. Image take in the dormitory of the orphanage. The Vine Heritage Home Foundation is an orphanage situated in Gwagwalada, one hour drive from the Federal Capital, Abuja. It was founded by Olusola Stevens and his wife an affiliate of Christian Missionary foundation. The two missionaries created a shelter for children whose life was endangered by the infanticide practices performed by the neighbouring Bassa communities. If a mother dies during child birth or while nursing a baby, the baby is considered evil and must therefore be buried (alive) with the deceased mother. Over 70% of the children currently living in Vine Heritage Home were rescued for this very reason. The belief that twins (multiple births) are an abomination makes them suffer a similar fate. Twins are killed shortly after birth; being left to starve, poisoned, or buried alive. Twins and other children killing is illegal in Nigeria. The criminal code section 316 defines the conditions of the homicide. Yet, the government agents struggle to stop the practice. 
NIGERIA, Igbo-Ora, October 2018. Igbo-Ora, the self proclaimed ‘Twin Capital of the World’ has earned its nickname by the unusually large number of twin births in the region. Research has suggested that the multiple births could be related to the (over)consumption of local crops by the women in the region of Igbo Ora. Although no direct relation between dietary intake and twin births has been proved, a research study carried out by the University of Lagos Teaching Hospital has suggested that a chemical found in Igbo-Ora women and the peelings of a widely consumed tuber (yams) could be causing twins births. Another possible explanation is genetics. 
NIGERIA, Gwagwalada, April 2018. A child plays with the laundry drying in the sun. The Vine Heritage Home Foundation is an orphanage situated in Gwagwalada, one hour drive from the Federal Capital, Abuja. It was founded by Olusola Stevens and his wife an affiliate of Christian Missionary foundation. The two missionaries created a shelter for children whose life was endangered by the infanticide practices performed by the neighbouring Bassa communities. If a mother dies during child birth or while nursing a baby, the baby is considered evil and must therefore be buried (alive) with the deceased mother. Over 70% of the children currently living in Vine Heritage Home were rescued for this very reason. The belief that twins (multiple births) are an abomination makes them suffer a similar fate. Twins are killed shortly after birth; being left to starve, poisoned, or buried alive. Twins and other children killing is illegal in Nigeria. The criminal code section 316 defines the conditions of the homicide. Yet, the government agents struggle to stop the practice. 
This collaborative photographic project visually investigates the mythology of twin hood and how paradoxical beliefs regarding twins manifest in Nigeria. Using twinhood as a vehicle to explore the friction between the communal and the individual embodied by the twin: two people that are one. West Africa and specifically Yoruba-land (Nigeria’s South West) has ten times more twins than any other region in the world. Communities have developed cultural practices in response to this high twin birth rate, from veneration to demonisation. In some areas the twin spirit is worshiped and celebrated. In others, twins are vilified, persecuted and killed for their perceived role in bringing bad luck. By creating an aesthetic language that is meant to reflect and empower the Yoruba belief that twins are “magical” and ‘supernatural’ they aim to document twin hood in Nigeria in a way that challenges simplistic representation of African traditions. The fascination for twinhood expands beyond the borders of Nigeria. Although the twin as a powerful spiritual symbol seems forgotten we know the Gemini stars, Castor and Pollux, we’ve heard how Romelus and Remus created Rome, we remember Plato shining a light upon the double nature of things. Duality is key, in the metaphorical and literal, the visible and the invisible, death and life, darkness and light, the spiritual and the material. This project is an invitation to look beyond appearance and the exoticism of the identical by calling upon a universal mythological figure; the twin. Images are shot in/around two locations in Nigeria (2018): Igbo Ora, ‘Twin capital of the world’ where almost each household has twins and twins are seen as a token for good luck, good health and wealth. The first edition of the ‘Twin Festival’ was held in Igbo Ora in Nov. 2018. An orphanage in Gwagwalada where two missionaries started rescuing newborn children from being killed by their community. When born as twins or when thei
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