I-Chan Park This photograph of stilt fishing on a Sri Lankan beach explores the relationship between nature and labor through the bodies of fishermen balancing above the turbulent waves. Repeated across the frame, the slender stilts form a musical rhythm of vertical and diagonal lines, like a score drawn upon the sea, while the fishermen appear as notes briefly resting along them. The act of waiting for a catch becomes a meditative practice of surrendering the body to nature’s time, poetically revealing human endurance and the quiet tension of life.
Fishermen practice stilt fishing along Sri Lanka’s southern coast, a technique that emerged in the 20th century when nearshore waters were heavily used and access to boats was limited. Perched on narrow wooden poles, they depend on balance, patience, and precise timing. Since the 2004 tsunami and damage to coastal reefs, catches have declined, and the practice has become increasingly rare.