I failed!

As some of you readers may already know, currently, my photos about Jakmania is displayed in an exhibition called Enormousight in Galeri Foto Jurnalistik Antara. Seeing those pictures on the wall, thinking of what I've been through to get them, and feeling the importance of telling the Jakmania's story through means I could provide, of course I am happy. Not just happy, I am very much honored, for GFJA is a widely known photojournalism gallery. But deep down inside, I can not help feel disappointed with myself.

I knew from the first time I reviewed my own pictures, that I hadn't got the picture that speaks itself. Even when Oscar Motuloh did the curation, he himself said he liked my story, but my pictures were not as powerful as my text. Back then, I didn't know what to do. I couldn't get more picture because I had very limited time. So I just redid what I could. And so, those 7 photos were the best I could get.

But most of all, why I am this disappointed, is not because I couldn't get myself the best pictures, but because I failed to tell the world about the Jak. I wanted everybody to feel what I feel, know what I know, that when I said they're living their lives like Jakmania is their religion, I'm not making metaphors, that it is real. Turns out I have to learn the art of story telling (with or without pictures) better, so that more people would be interested in what I say.

Well, I still feel like I have to tell their story And so I will. If I've failed in this photo exhibition, I will find other places, other means, other medias. They have trusted me to tell the world about them, even when I am not a part of them. For that honor, I will be their Hermes. :D

I will post the photos (complete version) and the complete story here after the exhibition's over. Look out for it. :)