In Empty Land, Promised Land, Forbidden Land photographer Rob Hornstra and writerArnold van Bruggen explore the unknown country Abkhazia on the Black Sea. Abkhazia brokeaway from Georgia after a short, violent civil war in '92-'93 and was recognised asindependent in 2008 by Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua and the atoll of Nauru. Hornstra andVan Bruggen spent the last four years travelling through the country, seeing how it is slowlytrying to claw its way out of isolation. They visited the refugees in Georgia and described theattempts made by the Abkhazian government to repopulate the empty, war-ravaged countrywith new immigrants.
