FINALIST OF THE 2024 LUCIE PHOTO BOOK PRIZE“An epic new book... the photographs, often in jarring juxtaposition, underscore the cruel bargain of Western 'progress'—and the paradoxical damage brought on by a half century of conservation and preservation efforts.” —David Friend, Vanity FairA groundbreaking investigation into wildlife conservation, environmental transformation, and efforts to preserve Africa’s natural wilderness by French-Madagascan documentary photographer Guillaume Bonn. Paradise Inc. offers an unvarnished glimpse into the realities of Africa’s ecosystems and our collective future, as the disruptions of climate change, economic expansion, and environmental efforts reshape the world before our eyes. For decades, Bonn has told the stories that the world is afraid to hear, championing the silenced and refusing to turn away from the truth. Paradise Inc. is the culmination of twenty years dedicated to documenting the last days of Africa’s vast natural landscapes, where countless expeditions have taken the photographer deep across nearly every country on the continent. Far from tired stereotypes, “greenwashing” efforts, and ready-made solutions, Paradise Inc. shines an unblinking light onto the paradoxes, consequences, and truths that lurk in plain sight behind the environmental “paradise” in Africa. Featuring an introduction by world-renowned journalist Jon Lee Anderson and foreword by founder of Across Maasai Land Initiative and Maasai elder Ezekiel Ole Katato, Paradise Inc. continues the work Bonn began as a player in the Africa State of Mind project (Thames & Hudson, 2020), now presented in its entirety. While beautifully and poignantly illustrated, Paradise Inc. is more than a visual journey. Nostalgic and critical, it is declaration of the photographer’s love for Africa—which Jon Lee Anderson (The New Yorker) calls his “inescapable muse”—an expression of his fear that it might one day disappear, and an impassioned call to action. In this latest work, Bonn defies the clichés of a wildlife wonderland that haunt the collective imagination, instead asking uncompromising questions and inviting us to strive for sustainable solutions together. Born in Madagascar and raised in the Comoros Islands, Djibouti, and Kenya, Bonn brings a unique perspective rooted in his French and Malagasy heritage and diverse upbringing, exploring the idea of “Africanness” in his work. It is through this intimate duality that Paradise Inc. delivers its urgent critique, unveils nuances, and captures the thrill of being in the wild.
