This photograph is of Mori Kaupa, a senior Yuri Alaiku member of the Block 4A community in Kudjip, and integral in the development of the Kuman project by providing traditional knowledge and guidance to the younger generation of Yuri boys. This portrait was taken at his residence in Block 4A, and his kuman reflects the tumbuna or traditional geometric design synonymous with the Chimbu region.
‘Mori’ (2017) is part of a series of photographs and multi-media work that revolves around the painted battle shields that were once central to men’s culture in the Wahgi Valley of the PNG highlands. The various tribes that live around the Wahgi River have a long history of engaging in intergroup battles, as a means of dealing with disputes and maintaining social order. The painted battle shields were an important feature of this ritualised form of Melanesian politics. As well as providing protection, the painted shields functioned as both personal insignia (symbolising the owner’s identity) and as optical devices for distracting and confusing opponents. Having inherited the rite to design ritual shields from his grandfather, who was a respected warrior, Bridgeman has worked with his family and friends in the Highlands to revitalise the shields within a contemporary context.
(2020)
Chromogenic prints are printed on paper that has at least three emulsion layers containing invisible dyes and silver salts. Each emulsion layer is sensitive to a different primary colour of light (red, green or blue). The development process converts the hidden dyes to visible colour depending on the amount of light it was exposed to. This type of paper is commonly used to print from colour negatives or digital files to produce a full-colour image. It can also be used to print black-and-white images, giving softer grain and less contrast than gelatin silver prints. Commonly known as c-type prints, chromogenic processing was developed in the 1940s and widely used for colour printing, including for domestic snapshots. While recent years have seen this process accompanied by ink-jet and digital printing technologies, chromogenic printing still remains in use to this day.
