Statement of Intent
Located in Kota Tinggi, a small town in Johor of Malaysia is known for its traditional charcoal manufacturing. I was amazed when I visited the charcoal field where the workers were working very hard in an extremely polluted workplace, enduring high temperatures and dangers.
The making of charcoal was a very tough job which starting by preparing the burning yard to slow heat the buried mangrove woods in soil that finally become charcoal after curing and filtering process. The workers were living together with their families at the squatters in the perimeter of the charcoal yard and were getting along very well. My conversation with them found that despite all the hardships, they were optimistic, happy and satisfied with their lives.
My portfolio attempts to capture the working life of charcoal workers in the charcoal field and record the traditional process of charcoal production, which then might disappear one day.
