Amardeep's Volcanic
Photography
Armadeep is a photographer who was born in India but is
based in Singapore. His education background, is mixed with an
engineering degree from Manipal Institute of Technology, in South
India, as well as an MBA from the University of Chicago, and he
works in the corporate world. In spite of this, however, he pursues
his passion for photography with a full heart.
We asked him about the photos he took at the Mount Merapi
volcano in Indonesia.
To start off, can you tell us where these photos were taken and
why the faces in these pictures are dark blue?
These photos were taken at the Hindu Boko temple in the
outskirts of Yogyakarta (Indonesia). The ruins of the ancient
temple stand close to the Mount Merapi volcano, at a distance
of around 25 kilometers. The blueness on the face is because
of the volcanic ash which the villagers have smeared for a dance
performance.
What is the meaning behind the event that is taking place here?
When opposites collide, it results in conflict and hostility. In
their embrace, there is love and friendship. The law of creation is
nothing else but a dance of celebration!
Mankind and nature can be seen in a state of conflict and
embrace. Time and again, the energy from volcanic eruptions of
Mount Merapi continues to destroy the region. When the going
gets tough, the villagers abandon their homes for shelters far
away. However it is the eruption that also provides fertility as well
as minerals, creating a wealth of earning opportunities.
When eruptions subside, like a magnet, the villagers return to the
region and make the most of the new environment. Living at the
edge, they embrace the volcano, for its destructive and generative
powers.
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