The Indonesian Poverty: Through Holga Lens

Posted on February 14, 2010 by  By Andrew
tags:

Holgablog presents another entry from our previous competition.  Sandy Wijaya takes us through the often harrowing poverty of Indonesia.

Name: Sandy Wijaya

Location: Bandung (West Java), Indonesia.

Website : http://www.flickr.com/photos/saintdevil/

: http://koelitinta.wordpress.com/

Camera: Holga 120GN & Fuji MDL-9 (pocket panoramic camera)

Film: Kodak Ektacolor 160, Kodak T-Max 100, Kodak T-Max 400.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Indonesian Poverty: Through Holga Lens

I was born, grew up and lived in the city of Bandung (capital of West Java province), the city with the famous nickname “Parijs Van Java” since the Dutch colonial era in the early 19th century. You can wonder why Bandung could bear such prestigiuos nickname! in a glimpse, on that era we could see the welfare of the people was well maintained, poor people were hardly to be found. Even if we need to compare between Bandung & Singapore at that time, Bandung has become more civilized and more advanced than Singapore.

Almost a century has passed…

Southeast Asia’s financial crisis finnaly struck Indonesia in the late 1997 and quickly turned into a political and economic crisis. This economic crisis situation also provides the impact for the poor living in Indonesia and specifically in Bandung. Poverty level in Bandung immediately increased so sharply above 30% in population, this situation is caused soon after many people have lost their occupation. Many poor people become poorer, and even some of them become a homeless and vagrant.


Now, one decade later, Indonesia has moved out of crisis and into a situation in which the country once again has sufficient financial resources to address its development needs. Nvertheless, only a handfull of Indonesian population which is roughly around 40% who are experiencing that economic development, on the other hand many Indonesians still struggling to break the “poverty trap” and free themselves from “vicious cycle of poverty”.

The approach that I did to dig up more on poverty is through photography with the hope that my photos will touch the hearts of the audience. Because many of us, especially the Indonesians assume that poverty is a matter that is “normal”, nothing special about it. If not us who care, then who will care? When I pressed the shutter, I feel as if that their miseries is my responsibility to promulgate the real situation to public.


Considering the simplicity of Holga, I tried to capture the moment as simple and as honest as I could, Here, 15 pictures of poverty which was taken in Bandung, with the aim to show how severe the poverty is. During my shooting about poverty, I can see that poverty does not recognize the limitation of age; wheter it’s elderly people or children , gender, disability people or not, ethnic, and even religion. Poverty is a merciless plague that spread without forgiveness.


Indonesia is very beautiful by nature and also very rich in natural resources and also people-friendly, but that all should not be a major publication which blown to the outside world. But behind her beauty of nature, richness, and the warmth of Indonesian people, yet they are actually still living in the tribulation, such as poverty which have been portrayed in few photos of mine.


Make poverty history as part of our civilization…!!

Comments

  1. Posted by Allen on February 15th, 2010, 00:36 (Reply to this comment)

    What a haunting series. Really affects one to see such a stark reality like this.
  2. Posted by Link Roundup 02-14-2010 on February 15th, 2010, 03:10 (Reply to this comment)

    [...] The Indonesian Poverty: Through Holga Lens Holga Blog Share This Post Related Posts on Epic Edits [...]
  3. Posted by Derek on February 16th, 2010, 01:53 (Reply to this comment)

    Those images are really powerful and leave a lasting impression.
  4. Posted by Antonino on February 16th, 2010, 09:43 (Reply to this comment)

    Your serie is very touching. Good work. People have to do work like yours to see more then only the tourist photos. Holga was a very good camera for your serie. Bravo
  5. Posted by Sandy Wijaya on February 16th, 2010, 17:40 (Reply to this comment)

    Woww…
    Thanks a lot Andrew for showing my article in your amazing blog..
    really appreciate it… :)

    @ Allen…
    indeed, it was a nightmare for me to see such REALITY is really happening around my city..

    @ Derek…
    thanks a lot mate for your appreciation…

    @ Antonino
    yeapp!! i absolutely agree with your opinion.. “Push our HOLGA to the LIMIT!!”
    thanks a lot for your support!!

    http://www.koelitnta.com
    http://www.thesaintdevil.deviantart.com
  6. Posted by Siellano on February 16th, 2010, 22:39 (Reply to this comment)

    so heartberaking’s photos
    i’m so sad to not considered that before
  7. Posted by greybreaks on February 20th, 2010, 00:36 (Reply to this comment)

    some of the images were difficult to look at, but they were all well composed and strong. very impressive. thanks for sharing
  8. Posted by Yemisi Blake on February 21st, 2010, 10:34 (Reply to this comment)

    This is thoughtful and inspiration. Thank you.
  9. Posted by Link Roundup 02-14-2010 — GAME FOR ALL on March 1st, 2010, 16:11 (Reply to this comment)

    [...] The Indonesian Poverty: Through Holga Lens Holga Blog [...]
  10. Posted by charles on March 2nd, 2010, 20:16 (Reply to this comment)

    These are wonderful and powerful images. It’s great to see a Holga being used in this way.
  11. Posted by Edward kusuma on August 21st, 2010, 06:18 (Reply to this comment)

    Where can I develop my holga negative film in Jakarta,Indonesia, please help me get the address if there is one?Thank and appreciate who is going to help me.
  12. Posted by Pat D on August 24th, 2010, 20:04 (Reply to this comment)

    Great shots, what kind of film did you use?

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