SINK / RISE is the third chapter of The Day May Break, NickBrandt's ongoing global series portraying people and animalsthat have been impacted by environmental degradationand destruction. This third chapter focuses onSouth Pacific Islanders impacted by climate change andserves as a stark reminder of the looming reality manyisland nations face. The local people in these photos, photographedunderwater in the ocean off the coast of theFijian islands, symbolize the many people who stand tolose their homes, land and livelihoods in the coming decadesas the water rises.
The images-all shot in-camera underwater-are hauntinglybeautiful. But beyond the immediate visual impact,Brandt's work delves deeper, asking: how did we get here?What does the future hold for these communities? Andhow can we mitigate, if not reverse, the damage? Brandt'semphatic portraits bridge the often abstract concept of climatechange and are a reminder that behind every statisticabout rising sea levels, there's a tangible human story.
NICK BRANDT (_1964, London) studied painting and film at St.Martin's School of Art, London. In 1992 he moved to California,where he still lives today. Since 2001, he has documented thedestructive impact that humankind is having on the naturalworld and, as a result, on humans themselves. Chapter One ofhis seminal series The Day May Break featured photographstaken in Zimbabwe and Kenya in late 2020. Chapter Two wasshot in Bolivia in 2022. In the third chapter Brandt introducescolor to the series, highlighting the all-encompassing impact ofthe water.
