Taloi Havini
Hakö People
Born 1981, Arawa, Autonomous Region Of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea
Lives and works in Melbourne, Australia

Stuart Miller
Born 1983, Sydney, Australia
Lives and works between Sydney, Australia and London, UK

Taloi Havini and Stuart Miller's photographs respond to the history and culture of Havini's native Bougainville. A descendant of the Nakas clan, Havini's 'Blood generation' 2009–12 portraits engage with the deep connection to land that her people have, as well as the ravages of open-cut mining and over ten years of civil war (1988–2000). The portraits of Buka youth feature and are dedicated to a group of young people born during the bloody Bougainville conflict. They are taken in the environments around Bougainville, including the devastated landscape around the Panguna mine. Naming her subjects and rendering her portraits in crystalline detail, Havini draws attention to their individuality and their shared experiences of loss. Her strong portraits also assert cultural resilience, reminding audiences of ongoing battles for native title and the right to self-determination.