Indonesia

My time in Indonesia gave me the opportunity to slow down and experience places through the people who welcomed me into their everyday lives.

Travelling through Sumatra and Flores, I spent time with families, craftspeople, farmers and local communities, often simply sitting, talking and observing the rhythms of daily life. I was invited into working environments and homes, and had the privilege of seeing traditions and skills that have been passed between generations- from weaving and natural dyeing to farming and preparing food.

What stayed with me most was not simply the places I visited, but the generosity of the people I met and the moments they allowed me to share with them. Photography became a way of paying attention: listening first, spending time, and trying to make images that reflected the people and environments I was experiencing rather than imposing my own interpretation onto them.

I was particularly struck by the contrast between these slower, often deeply considered ways of making and living, and the speed and overproduction that I had become accustomed to through my work in fashion. It made me think differently about the value we place on clothing, craft, time and the people behind what we consume.

These photographs are therefore less about presenting Indonesia as somewhere unfamiliar or exotic, and more about preserving a small collection of encounters that meant something to me. They are a record of the people who welcomed me, the things they shared with me, and the perspective they gave me during my time there.