Arctic

ArcticTHE STORY Deep in the heart of Kampung Urug, a traditional Sundanese village in West Java, an unexpected encounter unfolded. A fleeting game of hide and seek with a group of village boys led to an abrupt face to face momentan unscripted collision of two worlds. She stood against the wall, arms crossed, her piercing gaze cutting through the space between us. A stare so cold, so unwavering, it froze time itself. Arctic. That was the only word that came

ᝰ THE STORY

Deep in the heart of Kampung Urug, a traditional Sundanese village in West Java, an unexpected encounter unfolded. A fleeting game of hide-and-seek with a group of village boys led to an abrupt face-to-face moment—an unscripted collision of two worlds.

She stood against the wall, arms crossed, her piercing gaze cutting through the space between us. A stare so cold, so unwavering, it froze time itself. Arctic. That was the only word that came to mind. A raw, unguarded expression of suspicion laced with quiet astonishment.

Only later did it become clear—this was the older sister of one of the boys from the group, watching from the periphery, unseen until now. The intensity of her eyes, locked onto the lens, held something rare—a silent dialogue, an untamed presence, a portrait that demanded to be felt rather than merely seen.

Captured in a stark monochrome half-frame, Arctic is more than just a portrait; it’s an immersion. The depth swallows, the expression unsettles. Words dissolve, leaving only the weight of a gaze that lingers—a moment frozen at the threshold of a painting.

📍Bogor, Jawa Barat  🗓 2017