Émilie & Julia de Cooker

Funafuti, one of the nine atolls that form the independent state Tuvalu, is a surprisingly tiny fragment of land emerging in the wide Pacific Ocean, measuring barely 2.8 square kilometers. Intrigued by the unexpected human presence on this remote island, photographer Julia de Cooker and her sister, writer Émilie de Cooker, flew in to appreciate its particular culture, conscious of its ominous destiny: in a few decades Tuvalu will be submerged by the rising seas. Despite the grim curiosity that led them there, they focused on depicting the joyful daily life on the atoll, guiding them to the unavoidable reflection about their own manner of living and occupying the world. This book offers both an artistic and philosophical portrait of Funafuti i aso nei (today). It is also a plea against global standardization and for diversity, which creates life.