Burmese Portraits

I recently delivered a talk at the Photography Show at the NEC in Birmingham. It focussed on aspects related to the responsibility and sustainability of travel, ethics and authenticity.

While writing the content, I thought back to what could have been my first memories of wanderlust. Travel wasn’t an option when I grew up in the 80s. Romania was a closed-borders country and our limited knowledge of the world came from geography books, maps, a globe and things like this card game for kids which is one of my earliest memories of feeling wanderlust. In fact I don’t know how it escaped censorship because it wasn’t common for us to be allowed a glimpse into the beautiful and diverse wide world!

I don’t remember the rules of this game - but I do remember being absolutely fascinated by the variety of traditional wear on display, especially the Vietnamese female one thinking how unusual and beautiful to wear trousers with a dress! I was mesmerised.

‘Pacalici’ my childhood game and first memory of wanderlust

Fast-forward many years and I asked myself again the question of why we travel. What was embedded in my psyche as a child that told me I wanted to meet other humans different from me, that I wanted to see other places? Why do we travel?

On Irrawaddy River

I travel to widen my horizons in life – culturally and geographically. To see other places and meet other people, find similarities and differences. When I travel I like to capture and remember what I see and feel, and to share my experience with others.

I travel to raise awareness of positive or negative things happening in the world.

And this brings me to thinking of this fantastic country of Myanmar, or Burma, depending on which etymological and political camp you are in.

In 2020-2021, our entire existence was dominated by one thing, and one thing only - Covid-19. But while here in the UK we were dealing with the effects of the second and most depressing winter lockdown, in February 2021 a coup d’etat took place in Myanmar. Coupled with Covid-19 which wiped out any chance of this country benefiting from its tourism trade which had boomed in recent years, supporting so many people and families, the devastating impact on the people of Myanmar is heartbreaking, with an estimated 14 million in humanitarian need and their lives threatened by widespread and out of control conflict across the country.

Watching the game at the market

This is not a political blog post - but merely an attempt to share, and raise awareness. In any conflict in this world, ordinary people are the ones suffering the most. And I share these portraits created by me in November 2019 of some beautiful Burmese people who we encountered on our travels, thinking about them and their families, and wishing that one day soon, their suffering will end and we will be privileged enough to see them again.