About the work

Photographer Pamela Nelson traveled to Java, Indonesia in December 2004, the month that the devastating tsunami hit the Indonesian island of Sumatra. This natural disaster killed about 230,000 people in a dozen countries, half of them in Indonesia’s Aceh province. The island of Java was spared.  

Before and after the tsunami Pamela explored several villages on the island of Java, documenting the people and their communities. She wandered in and around kampungs of Western Java, capturing posed and candid images of Javanese people in life and landscape.  The word Kampung, (pronounced "kam - poon") in the Indonesian language Bahasa means community.  

This series of photographs reveal a sensitivity to the human spirit and quiet connection between people. Surpassing language barriers and cultural differences, her discerning eye discloses her observations, depicting gestures, expressions, and landscapes. Each image evokes a deep awareness of distinctive culture and the commonality of human experience.    

About the Photographer  

Pamela Nelson developed a passion for photography mucking about in the red mud of the Petitcodiac River as a child, and later exploring the forests and fields of southeastern New Brunswick. After the untimely death of her husband, Pamela brought her young daughter to Fredericton where in the early 80s she pursued a diploma in photography at the College of Craft and Design. Her interest in cultural imaging evolved from her experience of rural people and their commitment to the land and its resources.