Photographer Camilla Rutherford opens her powerful exhibition exploring Vietnam's waste villages, revealing the hidden human cost of our global recycling system.
This exhibition is free and open to all pass and kōrero ticket holders attending Wao Summit. It will be installed at Rippon Hall from Tuesday 27th July - Thursday 29th July.
Opening Night Tuesday 27th July: Join us as we open this exhibition, meet the photographer, and celebrate the stories behind the images over drinks and conversation.
Once Were Farmers is an award-winning photographic exhibition by Camilla Rutherford that challenges us to reconsider what happens after we place something in the recycling bin.
While travelling in Vietnam, Camilla discovered villages that had once relied on farming but now survive by processing the world's discarded plastic. These communities have become "farmers of waste", working in difficult conditions to extract value from materials exported from wealthier nations.
Through striking photography and personal storytelling, Camilla reveals both the environmental realities of our global consumption and the humanity of the people living within these systems. Her work moves beyond statistics to tell the stories of individuals and families whose livelihoods depend on our waste.
The exhibition opening includes a short film with Camilla sharing how this unexpected discovery reshaped her project and why these hidden communities deserve to be seen. It is a powerful invitation to reflect on the true cost of consumption, the complexity of global recycling, and our shared responsibility for the systems we create.
MEET THE ARTIST
Freelance Photographer & Film Maker