Through The Lens: Elizabeth Wirija

Between Jakarta and New York City

‘Through the Lens’ is a series that explores in detail images from fashion image-makers in Southeast Asia, shining a light on their creative and technical processes.

In this installment, we feature Elizabeth “Eli” Wirija, an Indonesian image-maker based in New York City, where they talk about how they became a photographer, and the projects they have worked on, from commercial to editorial work.

Nike Air Max Day, 2023. Image courtesy of Elizabeth Wirija.

Could you talk about your background? How did you start your photographic practice?

I was born and raised in Jakarta, Indonesia. I remember it fondly to be a chaotic city filled with noise and an abundance of culture. I was there until I was 15 but I eventually moved to America to pursue further education within the arts. 

Ever since I was a kid, I was fascinated with consuming media through TV in the form of cartoons, anime, manga, and watched my brother play all types of video games on Playstation. Noticing it now, thiswas my introduction to storytelling. I love being immersed in a new world with new possibilities. 

I was fascinated by the act of documentation. My dad would bring a film camera with him everywhere and take pictures of us running around being kids. Then the magic continued when he brought home the printed images a week later as he slotted them carefully into a photo album. I got to experience those moments again by seeing those pictures. In high school, I eventually asked for a camera of my own. My dad took me to a used electronics shopping mall and boughtme one for my birthday. That camera and I were inseparable, and it became a part of me. I brought it to school and took photographs of my friends and of anything that interested me; the sky when it rains, flowers I found on the sidewalk, the candid expression on my best friend's face before laughter. 

What kind of inspiration or influences do you see in your work and can you elaborate on them?

Aside from being  inspired by the costumes and character development in anime and manga, I am also deeply influenced by films. I read a lot of books when I was a teenager, and especially hold fictional fantasy dear to my heart. When it comes to my art, it teeters on the line of reality and a dream . I explore my dreamscapes, and like to approach my imagination with no bounds. As an artist, the best feeling is to be able to make a world that a stranger can fall into willingly with excitement and curiosity.

Could you talk through your creative process? What are some challenges you face as a photographer, and how do you solve them?

My relationship with my creativity is a constant whirlwind. I have periods of intense creation where all I can do for months on end is think of concepts, make art, sleep and wake up to imagine more things to create. Then it eventually changes into a period of deep rest and absolutely nothing. There is a sense of calm before it all cycles again. I used to struggle with knowing this, especially when I was in a process of non-creation. However, it always comes back and I am now learning to embrace the time for peace. I started reframing my thoughts and realised that those times when I’m not creating is for gaining experiences outside of my own little bubble of art. There are a lot of meaningful things to experience, emotions to feel, food to taste, music to listen to and places to go, people to meet. Without life, there is nothing in the well that can be pulled from to make the art.

Teezo Touchdown in Crack Magazine, 2023. Image courtesy of Elizabeth Wirija.

Can you walk us through some of your favourite projects to date?

My favorite projects are ones that come from a place where my imagination knows no bounds. I had creative freedom to explore, manifest and question. Some of them include: ‘Maximize Your Power for Air Max Day / Nike’. For this,  I imagined a world when each individual wearing the shoes gains avant garde powers such as teleportation, super strength and invisibility. When I received the email to photograph Teezo Touchdown for Crack Magazine, I was very  excited because I love his music and how unconventionally he presents himself. I wanted the images to reflect his style. The set designer created a bed of nails as one of the sets and Teezo was down to be photographed on it. We also had a great time assembling a room that was spray painted live on set by a graffiti artist for Teezo to shoot in. 

To photograph ‘The Future of Beauty’ for Vogue, I teamed up with Raisa Flowers, who is an amazing make up artist. Together, we created futuristic beauty looks. Iinitially, I wanted to submerge the model underwater but we ended up adding the water in post-production The model Symone is extremely talented because for the final looks she was blind under the contacts and was still posing beautifully. I was proud of how everything felt complete with the hair and make up.

‘Warriors’ is a photo series exploring the cultural definition of warriors within the Indonesian archipelago. The swords presented in the images were crafted by a local craftsman Manda Pinky who visualises different versions of what a weapon could mean. and it acts as an art object along with its known context. This project is a modern interpretation of how the ancestral warriors would present, and the special relationship between welder and their weapons.

And last but not least, the ‘Cutie Series’ is where I photograph interesting individuals with distinct styles on film.

Behind the scenes with Teezo for Crack Magazine. Images courtesy of Elizabeth Wirija.

Do you have a team or collaborators that support you creatively? What is the collaborative process like?

All great art is made through collaboration. I learnt that valuable lesson a long time ago. To make something impactful, I need to be able to let others do what they do best so I can focus on what you do best. When I initially started, it was just me, a camera, and a model. Eventually as I grew, I started reaching out to stylists, make-up artists and hairstylists to help make a world together. I am eternally grateful for all the artists that have been so gracious with their talents and time helping me manifest the ideas I have in my mind. I am also open to their input and how they can add to the vision. It feels seamless with long-time collaborators because we push each other to go wild in the studio. I often pitch a moodboard or creative deck to them and they let me know if they are down, then after, that is when all the magic happens.

Photo from Lauren Valenti, ‘Makeup Artist Raisa Flowers Presses Reset With 3 Bold, Futuristic Beauty Looks,’ Vogue, 27 August 2020. Image courtesy of Elizabeth Wirija. 

Photo from the ‘Warriors’ series by Elizabeth Wirija. Image courtesy of Elizabeth Wirija.

Lastly, what plans do you have in store for your practice moving forward? Are there any projects that you are currently working on?

I am in the process of looking for a publisher for my first photobook. It is eight  years of never-seen-before film images documenting the scene of New York and other countries, snapshots of youth culture and also intimate photographs of friends, lovers, and strangers. It is very dear to my heart and I cannot wait to share it with the world when the time comes. Other than that, I am transitioning to make more films, including short scenes and narrative features. I would love to direct more stories in the form of  fashion films, music videos and narrative work.

Photo from the ‘Cuties’ series by Elizabeth Wirija. Image courtesy of Elizabeth Wirija. 

Discover more of Elizabeth Wirjia’s work here.