The Sochi Project: An Atlas of War and Tourism in the Caucasus

Rob Hornstra and Arnold Van Bruggen have been working together since 2009 to tell the story of Sochi, Russia–site of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games. They have returned repeatedly to this region as committed practitioners of “slow journalism,” establishing a solid foundation of research on and engagement with this small yet incredibly complicated place before it finds itself in the glare of international media attention. As Van Bruggen writes, “Never before have the Olympic Games been held in a region that contrasts more strongly with the glamour of the event than Sochi.” Hornstra’s approach combines documentary storytelling with contemporary portraiture, found photographs and other visual elements collected during their travels. Since the beginning of the authors’ collaboration, The Sochi Project has been released via installments in book form and online. The highlights are brought together for the first time in this volume.