Rhiannon Adam | Big Fence / Pitcairn Island

Rhiannon Adam’s project Big Fence / Pitcairn Island documents life on a tiny island in the South Pacific. It was first inhabited by mutineers from the HMS Bounty and Tahaitan captives and the current population of 50 residents are mostly their descendants. History and life on Pitcairn have long been romanticized as a tropical utopia by books and movies such as Mutiny on the Bounty. However, the reality is much darker — from its inception to the present, violence is a thread that has wound its way through life on Pitcairn.

In 2004, a long history of sexual abuse (many involving young girls) was brought to light. A group of men were convicted of sexual crimes and served their lenient sentences in a make-shift prison on the island. Most of them still live there today after serving their time. In general, residents are wary of outsiders, press and especially being photographed. This dynamic exacerbates the extremely insular and isolated nature of the community there.

For me, viewing this project has the same sensation of looking through a lens that I can’t focus. Each image feels like an attempt to readjust the focal point; to shift the perspective so one can get a clear view of the larger picture. However, I never feel like I am able to stand back and fully comprehend the totality of what I am looking at.

Normally, I wouldn’t categorize this sensation as a marker of a good project. However, in the case of Adam’s work, this experience feels integral to conveying the emotional complexity of her subject matter. In Adam’s images, I can feel her circling the island, trying to find an entry into the place. Adam’s images capture the tensions and contradictions that are Pitcairn- the utopian fantasy vs. severe reality, the insular and institutionalized violence, and the lonely secrecy of its residents.

- Mia

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