Ghost Ship (Indonesia, Bali)

The lines of this schooner are reminiscent of the pinisi , traditional ships of the Bugis and Makassar peoples, in the south of Sulawesi . Built entirely of wood according to ancestral know-how passed down without a written plan, these boats have long ensured inter-island trade: cloves , precious woods , textiles , loaded and unloaded port after port, well before the arrival of the settlers.

Since 2017, the construction of pinisi has been listed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Site . Their signature: a thin, elongated hull , two vertical masts , simple rigging, and proven seaworthiness. Today, many have been converted into cruise ships , private yachts , or floating hotels . Others are still used for artisanal coastal shipping.

In Bali , these boats sometimes dock at nightfall from Flores, Komodo, or Sumba . Against the light, their dark silhouettes slowly stand out, like a vestige of time. On the frozen water, their appearance defies modern logic: slowness, silence, wood, wind—nothing is digital, everything is transmitted.

This photograph was selected by the prestigious international gallery 1X.com, which recognizes works for their aesthetic and documentary value.