One does not need to travel beyond the borders of their home country to create the best and most beautiful moments and memories. As an artist, YONGL illustrates the beauty of Malaysia via photography and digital artistry; and with his artwork, YONGL strives to demonstrate the beauty that we have in our own backyards which we may draw creative inspiration from and use as a canvas to create a masterpiece.
Malaysia boasts a diverse range of landscapes from cities to villages and from forests to coastlines. In this photo series, YONGL travels to his friend’s hometown in the quaint kampung of Sungai Besar, Selangor to capture its amazing, aesthetic landscapes through the lens of his camera.
While standing under the blanket of the starry night sky, YONGL was inspired to imagine an eye in the sky dripping a galactic stream of blue light that illuminates the kampung’s natural landscape in the dark. A fisherman and his fur friend look up to the heavens for inspiration from this marvellous phenomenon.
In the daytime, the humble town of Sungai Besar offers a unique local delicacy — shark meat porridge that can be enjoyed by both humans and their friendly, furry companies. One cannot truly experience Sungai Besar without tasting this signature dish. YONGL tells us that every place in Malaysia has a specialty unique to its local region that is waiting to be explored and appreciated by visitors looking to experience a different culture and cuisine as well as creatives looking for a muse near home.Â
With this photo series, YONGL intends to encourage creatives in Malaysia to explore the beauty that is in their own backyard. Within a single country, Malaysia offers a plethora of landscapes, cultures, foods and experiences to offer creatives who are looking for a time-efficient and cost-efficient journey into photography while staying close to home. Photographing the beautiful landscapes within our own country helps us document the natural beauty that surrounds us in the place that we call home and, in turn, inspires others to appreciate the various wonders of the world in their own special ways.
YONGL continues to create and inspire Malaysians by depicting the bits and pieces of their everyday life against a backdrop of surrealism. Check out feature stories about YONGL on Free Malaysia Today, the Sun Daily and World of Buzz. Stay updated with YONGL’s latest works on his Instagram and Facebook.