WIP – Telling Sarath’s Story in the Jungle

Part of this project is to tell the personal stories of the people who survived the Genocide. I am using video, and will include segments in the Oral Presentation due in the next couple of weeks.

Another part is to help the non-Cambodian audience with the context of the Genocide – I am using black and white ‘negative traces‘ to tell that story. The Book Dummy illustrated how this might work.

I am also featuring the ‘traces’ work in the Landings Exhibition.

As noted elsewhere, the project is not about Genocide per se, but it will need to be contextualised for an audience to understand the personal stories.

I am working through how to tell those stories with still images, not least for the WIP, also due in the next couple of weeks. I specifically shot with this objective in mind as part of my recent Cambodia visit.

I have been sorting images into three groups, and created a draft WIP Gallery.

First, the jungle, the mass graves, the barriers to Sarath meeting his Mother, Am Yon.

Then, the details, including the traces of the Khmer Rouge, as he found them on his journey.

The things that startled or worried him.

And, finally, with his Mother. Portraits, smiles but worry for the future.

These images are a little rough – and colour balance is erratic. I foresee a more consistent ‘green/brown’.

Here’s a broader look at portrait possibilities:

I am happy to start to see a pathway, with a more consistent photographic language, to create the story.

I look forward to feedback on this as I work towards the WIP submission.