The Chinese New Year Celebration in Jakarta
2018.
The night was damp. It drizzles and puddles were everywhere on the uneven roads. It seemed like there were more street vendors than usual, and what they sell are not normal to me. This was my first experience photographing a Chinese New Year in Jakarta (or anywhere else, for that fact).
I had asked my friend about what he remembers about documenting Chinese New Year celebrations, and his answer was short: painful, watery eyes. I just looked at him, feeling a bit puzzled but I thought, alright, we shall see.
That night we went to Petak Sembilan in Jakarta, visiting 2-3 locations within that area. It wasn’t as full as I imagined, and there were armed forces everywhere to maintain safety. The majority of these pictures were taken in one temple, where most people go to say their prayers and honor their ancestors.
Guess what I left with other than these photos? Painful, watery eyes.
