Mbah Warsinah
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ᝰ THE STORY
"The strength of a nation lies in the endurance of its people."
At 93, Mbah Warsinah was not merely an elder of her Javanese village in Boyolali—she was a force of nature. A woman of quiet resilience, rooted in the land she had tended for nearly a century. Her hands, weathered by time, still wove the daily fabric of life—grooming her great-granddaughters before school, caring for her beloved cow, walking the rice fields with the unwavering spirit of someone half her age.
Even at an age when most would rest, Mbah Warsinah remained in motion, refusing to yield to time. On the day this portrait was taken, the door to her home opened not to her, but to her daughter. "She’s not home—she’s still out working," came the casual reply, as if it were the most ordinary thing for a woman of 93. And indeed, for Mbah Warsinah, it was.
Taking Mbah Warsinah back home from her field
The journey to find her led through the tall grass, where, from a distance, her silhouette emerged—a slender figure moving with purpose, her presence as radiant as the golden light that bathed the fields. Returning home from her work, she still carried the same sharp memory, the same unwavering gaze that had seen the world shift around her for nearly a century. A request for a portrait was met with initial reluctance—"I am tired, I am dirty, I am ugly"—yet, after a quiet pause, she reappeared in one of her finest kebayas, ready.
Sitting at her doorstep, she prepared herself with deliberate care, running a comb through the flowing silver of her long, wet hair. Then, something happened—something beyond photography. The moment stretched into eternity. She lowered her comb, turned, and met the lens with a gaze that pierced straight to the soul. It was as if time itself paused. Her eyes, deep as the history she carried, seemed to ask: What is it that you seek? What story do you wish to tell?
That stare—unyielding, filled with knowing—transformed the portrait into something far greater than an image. It became a testament. A moment suspended between past and present, between fragility and strength, between time and timelessness.
Wrapped in her sarong, adorned with the parang motif—a batik pattern symbolizing perseverance, like the endless waves that crash upon the shore—Mbah Warsinah embodied its meaning effortlessly. Never breaking, never yielding. She was the human spirit at its purest: dignity in aging, wisdom in silence, resilience in presence.
Giving Mbah Warsinah a little gift for Eid Mubarak (several months after her photo was taken)
This portrait, now one of the most celebrated in Indonesian fine art photography, became the cover of BEYOND: Java and found its way into countless exhibitions, publications, and homes around the world. Yet, more than that, it became a story—a story of a woman who refused to be forgotten, a woman who was Indonesia itself.
Mbah Warsinah took her final breath in September 2021, but her legacy endures. She is still here, in every wrinkle that tells a story, in every field where elders work tirelessly, in every gaze that dares to challenge time. She is a symbol, a reminder of what it means to live with purpose, to stand unwavering in the face of passing years.
Thank you, Mbah Warsinah, for your presence, your spirit, and your story. You remain eternal.
May you rest in peace.
📍Boyolali, Jawa Tengah 🗓 2018
❏ Fine Art Print
Printed on 210 gsm high-quality matte paper with 10-color digital inkjet technology. Can be matted and/or framed.
Available in the following dimension:
• 60 x 40 cm | 24 x 16”
❏ Aluminum Print
Printed on a sleek 3-mm, triple-layered aluminum composite material for a matte, reflection-free result using state-of-the-art printing method. Water-resistant, durable UV read-to-hang print suitable for sheltered, outdoor areas.
Available in the following dimension:
• 60 x 40 cm | 24 x 16”
Collector's Limited Edition of 15 copies worldwide.
Processed in Europe on one of the glossiest and most expensive photographic papers in the world—Fujiflex Crystal Archive.
The Fujiflex Crystal Archive paper is a special chromogenic paper with an ultra-high-gloss surface producing the highest professional photographic substrate currently available in the world. The quality of this paper is incomparable with any other papers on the market today.
This silver halide, true photographic printing material on a polyester base is produced to the highest gallery and competition standards. It is printed through a specialized process using laser exposure technology.
Your photograph is not printed like other papers with ink. It is instead exposed into the silver halide base with lasers and is then chemically processed.
The final result has to be seen to be believed as it leaves mica crystals on the paper that, when properly lit, produce a strikingly three-dimensional luxurious look and an appearance of being lit from behind.
The artist proposes 15 copies each available in the following sizes:
• 90 x 60 cm | 36 x 24”
• 150 x 100 cm | 60 x 40”
Such paper must be mounted on appropriate substrate and/or framed correctly to guarantee the best results.
Replica Edition
• Free shipping worldwide;
• Please allow up to 48 hours before your order is dispatched;
• Delivery time is about two to three working weeks depending on your country;
• Shipped in a sturdy mailing tube for the fine art prints and a protective cardboard box for the aluminum print;
• Fine art prints are sent by the post office from Indonesia while aluminum prints are processed and sent from Europe;
• A confirmation email is sent when the photo is shipped;
• Any custom and duty fees are the responsibility of the customer;
• Replica Edition prints come without white borders;
• Frame not included for the fine art prints
★ Original Edition
• Free shipping worldwide;
• Please allow up to 7 days before your order is dispatched;
• Delivery time is about two working weeks;
• Tracking available;
• Shipped in secure packaging handled by art professionals;
• Sent by UPS, FedEx, or DHL from Europe;
• A confirmation email is sent when the photo is shipped along with a digital Certificate of Authenticity and a handling and framing manual;
• Any custom and duty fees are the responsibility of the customer;
• Original Edition photographs come without white borders;
• Frame not included
