There is something about the look of Indians. The hypnotizing depth of their ebony-colored eyes, in which the iris and the retina melt into one, has always attracted my attention. During my travels throughout India, I wanted to grasp those expressions with the technique of extreme close-up portraits, so that all other distractions disappeared to the eye of the viewer and a direct connection, eye-to-eye, could really take place.

Having been a nomad for around 6 years I always had to pack and unpack all my stuff into a small bag. With time the number of things I took with me always got smaller. But no matter what, wherever I went, I was always unable to let go of 2 or 3 things. These things maybe weren’t something essential that I needed, but always ended up back in my bag.

With this premise, I became curious as to what were the objects other nomads took with them. What were those 2 or 3 things that they always packed, no matter where they went? In my mind, these objects reflect on who those people are, while they become a token of good luck, work, or just entertainment at the same time.

A symbol of Penang, the Trishaw, was commonly used as the means of transportation for locals to get from one place to another. Nowadays, Trishaws are a mere touristic attraction pushed by hardworking men that cycle their way through the city. With no more than 150 left in all the island, the aging of these workers and the rise of more attractive career paths, Trishaws will disappear, and so will their drivers. Jinrikisha (‘Manpower’, the word engraved in the license plate of every Trishaw) is a look into who these drivers are as a way of tributing them. This is a small selection of the over more than 30 portraits that conform the total collection.