Ilha Formosa was produced in early 2020 whilst visiting a friend on the small island of Taiwan. Whilst the lush coastlines and rugged mountains are undoubtedly picturesque, there is just as much beauty to be found in the faces of the people, the grit of the facades and the gusto of the storefronts. The island hypnotised me. The way you moved seamlessly through cities to beaches, from beaches to mountains, mountains to gorges, gorges through fields. The people change with the scenery, whether they occupy the skyscrapers, hillside hideaways or coastal shacks; and serve as a reminder that we exist within our surroundings. Ilha Formosa aims to highlight this relationship between people and their environment.
Lakshan Dharmapriya is currently completing an MA in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography at LCC. Over time his work has become an exploration of how humans situate themselves; how they interact and/or intervene with nature.