Kai Jye Ngui, Turning Fear into Flame (TRAVEL 2025)

This photo series documents the final night of Dark Mofo 2025, capturing the burning of the Ogoh-Ogoh—a towering effigy shaped as the endangered Maugean skate. A modern reinterpretation of a Balinese ritual, this event invites thousands to write down their fears and place them inside the creature before it’s set alight in a dramatic act of collective release. The four images chart a layered emotional and cultural journey: 1. The Ignition - A person ready to set flames that will engulf the creature, carrying thousands of written fears into the night sky. 2. The Climax - Fireworks explode overhead in a surreal collision of chaos and celebration. 3. The Burning - The embers settle into the winter air, and the crowd stands in quiet reflection while recording the whole process, in awe with what they are witnessing. 4. Protest in the embers - As the crowd disperses and the fire dims, a group of protestors remains, raising a handmade sign featuring salmon on a stick, painted with the word “TOXIC.” It’s a stark reminder of Tasmania’s growing environmental tension, especially around industrial salmon farming, and its threat to species like the Maugean skate. These images speak to the deep emotional resonance of cultural rituals, how ancient traditions, reimagined through art and fire, can help a modern community confront fear, honour fragility, and find renewal.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.