I love Banda

The Banda islands are inextricably linked to the maritime history of the Netherlands. Starting from the question of how the turbulent past influences the present and future, Isabelle Boon photographed the youth of the islands.

Once the only place on earth where nutmeg grew, the isolated Banda islands (Moluccas, Indonesia) were of enormous value to the VOC. To this day, the Dutch presence resonates in culture and the physical landscape. How do the young people of the Banda islands look at their history? Do they want to shake off the past, or are they proud of the islands, their strong identity and heritage? Do they want to leave or stay? How do they see their future? The exhibition ‘I love Banda’ is an image report about identity and the universal of being young against the background of a shared past.

I Love Banda – Photobook

In I Love Banda, Isabelle Boon searches for the ideas and interests of a young generation of islanders. How do the youth of the Banda Islands view their history? Do they want to shake off the past or are they proud of the islands, their strong identity and shared heritage? Do they want to go or stay? How do they see their future? By portraying their lives in this photobook, Isabelle Boon gives the archipelago a contemporary and human face, breaking free from its one-sided image of historical paradise.

You can view a selection of images from the photobook on Isabelle Boon’s website.