Reflecting on Heaven and Heartbreak on Indonesia’s Komodo Island
Each photograph Salva López took of the beaches of Bali and the lush greenery of Komodo sparked memories of days spent sailing and snorkelling, and indulging in massages and seaside naps, while island-hopping in southern Indonesia with his partner. But beneath the calm surface of these idyllic snapshots, there’s a strong emotional current: López and his partner broke up just a few months later. After revisiting Komodo on his own, the artist realized that there is a resiliency to memories of exploration and wonder. “I still often imagine sailing in search of the famous Komodo dragons,” he says. “It was a time when I felt true happiness.”
Leaves.
Aboard a boat in Komodo.
The photographer’s ex-girlfriend, sailing past the Komodo archipelago.
Watching the water on a boat in Komodo.
Dragon-spotting on Rinca Island.
Out of the sun, in Labuan Bajo.
Kanawa Island, from the window.
A papaya tree on Kanawa Island.
Palm tree at Ulun Danu Beratan Temple, Bali.
A manta ray at Manta Point in Komodo.
