Story from the South

My photos tell a story of a small city on the south coast of Java that almost no one knows exists. But, I know every corner of this city. I know it like my own body because it is where I was born and spent the first 18 years of my life.

I am bonded to this old city that has not yet become modernized or globalized. It is my home, my roots. Its streets are like a labyrinth that lures me deep inside, but I am never lost.

I photograph alone. In my solitude, subtle sensations overwhelm me. I feel like I am in a trance. The air moves slowly through my hair. People walk in waves. Their voices seem like hallucinations. Time moves very slowly.  I cross the thin line between the real and the surreal.

Sometimes I feel wild and free as I walk with my camera. Other times when I am depressed, the city comforts me like a lost boy who has returned to his mother.

For me, this city is magical. I try to capture this magic in my photos. These photos portray my story, my memories and experiences. They are a tribute to this city.