The island of the colorblind
A book about Sanne De Wilde’s new project The Island of the Colorblind. The book includes black-and-white photos, infrared photos, and photo-paintings.
Sanne De Wilde (Belgium photographer) traveled to the Pingelap and Pohnpei islands in Micronesia to photograph the large number of inhabitants who suffer from the rare genetic condition achromatopsia or ‘complete color-blindness’. Achromatopsia is characterized by extreme light sensitivity and the inability to distinguish color. Daylight is often too bright to handle, so the world becomes more clearly illuminated by moonlight. By implementing black and white, infrared, and achromatic picture-paintings techniques, de Wilde attempts to see her subjects how they see the world: through the lens of achromatopsia.
The book cover is UV sensitive, changing from white to blue in the sunlight. Portraits are printed on silvery grey papers. Images evoking other senses, such as touch and taste, are presented on tracing paper, creating a curiously layered effect.
