GPP Talks with Sanne de Wilde | The Island of the Colorblind

To parallel The Photobook Show, which will be on exhibit at GPP from April 16th to August 31st, we will also host a series of talks reflecting upon various aspects of the photobook phenomenon.

The first in the series is an artist talk with Sanne de Wilde for a discussion of her photobook, The Island of the Colorblind.

Born in Belgium, Sanne de Wilde graduated with a Master of Fine Arts, Photography at Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Ghent in 2012. Her photography explores the role of genetics in the lives of individuals and communities.

Her latest book, The Island of the Colorblind, was exhibited last year in The Rencontres d'Arles festival to wide acclaim. For this series, de Wilde travelled to the Micronesian island of Pingelap, where many of the islanders have a hereditary condition called achromatopsia, characterized by extreme light sensitivity, poor vision, and complete inability to distinguish colors.

After learning of this condition, de Wilde began to consider what colors one might repaint in their mind's eye without the ability to perceive colors naturally. Color is just a word to those who cannot see it. In her work, colors have been reinvented - trees become vibrant pinks and purples, the sky becomes indigo, and flames light up in black and white. Through this work, we are given an opportunity to revisit the way we see, perceive, and understand color.

Join us Monday, April 23 for an artist talk with Sanne at Gulf Photo Plus.  The talk is free to attend but registration is required.

Click here to learn more about our next talk of the series, GPP Talks with Daniel Donnelly | Talking Photobooks.

All featured images © Sanne de Wilde / NOOR Images