While each nation in Southeast Asia has its own distinct culture, they share many common cultural, religious, linguistic and racial characteristics as a result of complex relationships that go back more than a thousand years. There is much richness in these diverse cultures, with shadow theatre being the singular voice throughout the region. Shadow theatre explores the strength and fluidity of these relationships, as well as expressing the past and potential of the region. A Life in Shadows will concentrate on the traditions of Wayang, a traditional form of puppet theatre in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Cambodia. The common thread in these traditions is the use of the Hindu epics of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata as the source of stories. Saturated with meaning, along with personal and universal narratives, shadow theatre integrates topics ranging from landscape and nature to sensitive cultural, social and religious issues; the examination of conflict between characters is extremely complex.

Between 1999 and 2023, I extensively traveled throughout Southeast Asia, particularly in Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Indonesia, with the purpose of documenting shadow theatre. I photographed puppet masters, craftsmen, rare collections of puppets, museums, musicians and academics. I wanted to explore every aspect of the art form and to show Wayang’s great appeal.

Instead of photographing the puppet masters in a traditional performance or studio setting, my idea was to capture them in their homes. I wanted to go a little further and reveal a glimpse of the person behind the mask, the artist, by focusing on the experience of the photographic encounter to remove that performance layer.