On a small island in the Pacific called Pingelap, a high percentage of the population sees the world in only black and white. A startling number of island’s inhabitants suffer from achromatopsia, or total color-blindness with an increased sensitivity to light. Photographer Sanne De Wilde, who heard about the unusual circumstances on the island, visited the obscure atoll to conduct research for a possible visual project. The artist uses infrared technology (red is the color Pingelapese are most able to recognize) to craft a unique perspective that reflects the experience of her subjects. She names her latest project, a photography series and book titled Island of the Colorblind, after an Oliver Sacks book. The book includes black-and-white photos, infrared photos, and photo-paintings. Sanne threads themes of voyeurism and otherness through her work, exploring “the way we view [others], and what that ultimately says about us.”
Learning of Pingelap was a magical occurrence for Sanne. She likens her discovery of the region, which has a population of around 250, to “an idea [sparking in] your mind and linger[ing], glowing in the back of your head, like a shiny though-sparkle.”
Source: Infrared Photography Captures the Neon World of Colorblind Islanders – Creators
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