In conjunction with the Hammersmith & Fulham Arts Festival 2019, After The Rain has launched the first edition of its magazine, Number 1, now available to buy on Blurb.
It features photographs captured by Zarina Holmes on her hometown Pangkor Island and the surrounding waterways of nearby Lumut, Malaysia. The project is published by Story Of Books.
Zarina was one of the panel speakers at the HF Arts Fest event titled, “River to river, coast to coast”, alongside photographer-publisher Mark King of The Point, and Re:Centre Artists in Residence in June. The event will be hosted by event partner Re:Centre, the holistic workspace and artists workspace in Hammersmith, London.
After The Rain, Number 1 images were taken over seven years, whilst Zarina were visiting her parents’ residence in the maritime town of Lumut. It is also the main seafood producer within the Peninsular Malaysia. The rural town and the surrounding islands are known for its fine blue-eyed anchovies which are a staple ingredient in the nation’s favourite rice breakfast, the nasi lemak.
As a photographer based in London, Zarina finds herself in a unique position where she could observe the changes in the lifestyle and environment as an outsider and also as a local.
“In beginning, I found myself conflicted on how to tell my story. Should I apply a cool, objective eye of a documentary photographer that is trained in London, or come from a position of empathy and bias towards my hometown folks? There have been both positive and negative practices that have led to the degradation of the ecosystem, and also a newfound appreciation of the healing aspect of nature that we still have.
“So, I’ve decided to approach the After The Rain story from a perspective that I understand most, being an islander that grew up around water and relying on it as our lifeline.
“I looked closely at my parents’ rural lifestyle and started identifying the indigenous practices that are almost forgotten by many modern Malaysians, such as growing your own food and putting together a simple fire for a fish barbecue.
I discovered that my relationship with nature is intertwined with the indigenous aspect of my identity. It’s always been there all along, buried underneath the strong currents we now call ‘consumerism’ and ‘progress’.
“Making the photos have been a healing process for me. I hope I can start a positive dialogue and exchange notes with other international artists that are observing similar issues, so we could work towards a solution together.”
After The Rain, Number 1 print magazine is available to purchase on Blurb.
After The Rain 