When Aung Chan Thar was 25, he was selected to represent Myanmar as part of Asean Centre for Biodiversity’s (ACB) Young Asean Storytellers programme. A cohort of 20 young artists and writers visited Asean Heritage Parks in their own countries to tell stories of biodiversity, nature and culture.
Aung first travelled to Inlay Lake Wildlife Sanctuary, known for its floating gardens, in 2022. “The Intha people live around the lake and build floating houses: structures made from bamboo on stilts,” Aung says. “Fishing is a common occupation; they use their feet to paddle their boats. So is the production of colourful cloth.”
The following year, ACB funded Aung to create the Conservation Photography Workshop for Myanmar Youth. He has now travelled to Inlay Lake 10 times; it takes about a day on a bus from his home town of Hpa-an. He took this image there in 2023 using his mobile phone.
“I staged it to focus on the importance of this traditional cultural occupation. I wanted to show that Myanmar people strive to be productive even in the most difficult times. Displaying the cloth like this, on the water, showed its true beauty and vibrancy.”
“I will continue to nurture young photography enthusiasts,” he adds. “Development is weak here for various reasons, but I am always proud to be a citizen of this country.”
