Autonomous Region of Bougainville Documentary Project

This project aims to document the people and culture of Bougainville during this period of autonomy. I have been working on a longterm documentary project about the Autonomous Region of Bougainville since 2014. The project focusses on the people and culture of Bougainville during this period – between the civil war they fought and won against the Papua New Guinean Government, earning Bougainville

the status of autonomy, and the elections that will determine it's independence in 2019. The aim of my project is to document this period in Bougainville's history. To provide a snapshot of the culture and people who are voting, the people who are running for election and the children who will one day inherit the decisions being made during this time. I have begun photographing different survivors of the civil war including; great grandmothers, politicians, teachers and ex-combatants. I will continue to witness and document life there as I meet people from across the island of 300,000 people. My goal is to create a body of work that will result in a monograph and photographic exhibition. This page is a central place for me to communicate where I have been and where I am going with the project. I look forward to connecting with you about my work. All the best,

Rob Vallender