The remote Banda islands were once the only place on earth where nutmeg grew and therefore of enormous value to the VOC. To this day, the Dutch presence in culture and the physical landscape resonates.
“I love Banda” is a photo project by Isabelle Boon about how the Dutch-Indonesian history of Banda influences contemporary culture and the future of the archipelago. The story is told through the lives of six young Bandanese. By combining their opinions, ambitions, stories and her own observations, Isabelle shows us what it is like to grow up in this context of shared heritage. She gives the islands a contemporary and human face, offering an alternative to the one-sided image of Banda as a heritage paradise.
The project was exhibited on Banda, was part of a group exhibition in Jakarta (350 years of the Treaty of Breda), and will be on display in The National Maritime Museum in 2021.
The photo book “I love Banda” is for sale at bookshops Donner and Van Stockum, and via the website, ISBN 978-90-825998-3-1
Isabelle Boon is a documentary photographer from Rotterdam. A recurrent theme in her work is how people live, work, and relate to one another. Genuine contact and building relationships with the people portrayed is important to her. By doing so, she aims to show the positive power and uniqueness of every individual.
