Think Portraiture Featuring Dian Korwa. As an artist whose primary background is in painting, my works have never centred on portraits. In any discipline I have been drawn more to conceptual representations as well as figurative themes, mainly through natural and organic shapes and materials. I often felt portraiture is specific in a way that I did not often connect with in a painting studio. The study and rendition of someones face and expressions required a very specific personality of painter.

When I began photography twenty years ago, this did not change. Photography is simply a different set of tools, but my expressions and explorations are consistent. My explorations simply had a different canvas and a different brush. I would be drawn to the creation of my own worlds through the photographic or digital image. Modelling with light is as freeing as with a brush or palette knife.

The Joy nd Surprise of Collaborations

This past year with the collaborative projects we have begun in Sawidji, it was a natural progression that I spent more time in the photo studio. Taking portraits of artists and friends from our community regularly. It is as much a surprise to me how much I thoroughly I enjoy this process. This is a point of creativity that is so very unique.

The creative process for me is in the majority a singularly private one. I usually work best in private in the quiet. Yet, in the studio through portraiture, I am blessed with another aspect of creativity that I had not known before. It is where I am not creating a world or expressing myself. It is where I am shown the inner worlds of those facing the camera. My role is a support role. A listener, a supporter. To see hopefully, something that is usually so carefully hidden and then to bring that out in the open.

An Interview with Dian Korwa

Dian Korwa is a teacher. In recent years her sociable warmth and creativity led her to explore other areas of creativity, in this case singing.

It’s not always easy for someone to be in front of a camera.

At first when Yasmin asked me I feel like ‘yeah lets go and lets do it’. I like to do little things and different things. We agreed on the date, but what is funny when the time came I feel really nervous. I pointed out why I didn’t want to come. I have no experience. That was my first time doing a photo shoot, I was not that confident. Yasmin said, we cannot just cancel. So here we are..

Dian Korwa

It’s an exercise of courage and honesty to get past all the walls we have to see who is inside.

At first, my heart was beating so fast because I did not know what to do. I use to see people do photoshoots.. people have to be in right position to make good a picture. I was so worried and nervous that the pictures would not be good.

Dian Korwa

In this self confrontation towards new discoveries.

I felt then that I wanted to learn something. This is the time, to let go. To learn something new.

I started to feel confident,. the music really helped. This was an awesome step already, for me to be in front of the camera. Thank you for the experience, it was really wonderful.

Dian Korwa

Finding something real yet full with imagination.

I didn’t expect that the video would turn out as it did. I like the words. It was really ‘WOW’. The pictures,.. there are some pictures, I wasn’t sure about how I feel it being in the video. But it makes the video really moving. Its really nice, the way it expresses the emotions of the day.

Dian Korwa

Finding ways to bring out parts of yourself that were hidden

How did it feel?, at first I did not expect the studio to be such a wonderful studio. I don’t feel like like it was normal shoot, like a commercial posing shoot. I felt like I was meant to be just myself. It was really nice, I thought Dian was going to instruct me to be a certain way, but it wasn’t like that at all. It was actually for me to be myself.

Dian Korwa

Special Acknowledgements to the efforts of the team on this day. Many thanks go to Dian Korwa and Joy for being a wonderful, honest and brave model. Yasmin Robles for her usual spunky and vivacious original self. And to Kaprus Jaya, ManButur Suantara for the support in and out of the studio!