Water Tales
Water Tales is a visual romance developed with the Cambodian NGO SafeSpaceBTB. It is art storytelling that drowns into the desires, fears, and memories of nine people belonging to the LGBTQIA+ community of Battambang, Cambodia.
Using water as a theme in portraits to symbolize both the natural landscape and its connection to societal issues such as the LGBTQIA+ community is a powerful artistic choice. In the context of Battambang's landscape, where flooding during the rainy season transforms the city, water becomes a symbol of transformation and fluidity. It reflects the city's resilience and adaptability to natural forces.
In Battambang, before SafeSpaceBTB was born in 2018, there were no spaces for LGBTQIA+ people. The context is particularly traditional, and rural. Many faced societal pressures and often sought refuge in larger cities or abroad, seeking environments more accepting of their identities. The project aims to shed light on these challenges within Cambodian society, where traditional family values often dictate social norms and limit LGBTQIA+ rights and self-expression.
Through its use of water as a thematic element, "Water Tales" symbolizes both the natural beauty and the societal barriers faced by the LGBTQIA+ community in Battambang. The flooding waters represent both the inundation of the city during the rainy season and the metaphorical veil society uses to obscure their voices. By sharing these narratives, the project seeks to promote understanding and provoke change in a society where acceptance and integration remain significant challenges for LGBTQIA+ Cambodians.