Silent Stories#6

Statues have a way of finding me. I don't set out to photograph them, yet they appear—in plazas, gardens, and street corners—each with its own silent story. Some are famous, others almost forgotten, but all of them invite a pause. Perhaps they fascinate me because public statues are relatively uncommon back home in Malaysia, so every encounter feels like discovering a small piece of another culture. What began as a simple fascination has become a journey of discovering the stories hidden within these silent works of art. 

Here’s another encounter in my Silent Stories series — a statue that found me.

 Statue of Petar Zoranić — Zadar, Croatia 

• Artist: Unknown / Local Croatian Sculptor.
• Artwork: The Statue of Petar Zoranić commemorates the foundational 16th-century Croatian literary figure.
• Medium: A weathered bronze sculpture depicting the writer standing tall in Renaissance-era attire, uniquely characterized by its robust, powerfully sculpted legs.
• Location: Situated prominently in St. Chrysogonus Square (Trg Svetog Krševana) in the historic, old town core of Zadar, Croatia.
• The Figure: The monument depicts Petar Zoranić (1508–1569), a noble-born poet and notary from nearby Nin who went on to define the early identity of Croatian literature.
• Literary Significance: Zoranić penned Planine (The Mountains) in 1536. Published posthumously in Venice in 1569, this pastoral romance is celebrated by historians as the very first novel ever written in the Croatian language.
• Historical Context: The statue represents a triumph of human expression over conflict. Zoranić wrote his poetry during a tumultuous era when Zadar was a heavily fortified enclave under constant threat and siege by Ottoman forces.
• Concept & Setting: Set against the backdrop of ancient stone facades and the medieval Church of St. Chrysogonus, the statue anchors a quiet public crossroad, connecting modern city wanderers to the cultural renaissance of the eastern Adriatic.
• Silent Story: Standing proudly amidst centuries-old fortifications, the statue whispers a story of patriotism and cultural preservation. Zoranić used his fictional 7-day mountain trek to allegorically awaken his countrymen's love for their native tongue and land.

The Statue of Petar Zoranić reminds us that behind the stoic bronze of historical figures lies a passionate plea to remember who we are and where we come from.

The Plaka Cat

Back in 2023, I was wandering through Plaka, Athens — narrow streets, painted shutters, and right there on a wooden bench, a white cat with orange patches. Calm as a monk, stretched beside a potted plant, watching the world drift by. I even stopped to pet it, noticing the distinctive mark on its face and coloring that made it unforgettable.

Back home in Malaysia, I watched a few YouTube walking tours of Plaka and smiled when I spotted the very same cat roaming the nearby streets — not just outside the shop where I had met it, but moving through the neighborhood as if it belonged there, a familiar face in a place visited by thousands of strangers.

Recently, while looking through old photos, I was reminded of that cat and decided to Google the shop at Thespidos 2, the very spot where I first saw it. The result? “Permanently closed.” Once a concept store, it has since been replaced by an eyewear boutique. The shelves, the counter, the heart‑shaped ornaments, the bench — gone. But the cat? That’s the part Google can’t tell you.

Maybe it wandered off to another doorway, claimed a new bench, or became a regular at the taverna down the street. Cats in Plaka are like unofficial guardians of the neighborhood — they don’t belong to one shop, they belong to the rhythm of the place.

There’s something poetic about it: businesses open and close, signs fade, shutters lock. Yet the cats remain, padding through centuries of change, curling up wherever life still hums. The shop may have vanished, but the memory of that cat lingers — a reminder that sometimes the soul of a street isn’t in its commerce, but in its creatures.

Silent Stories#5

 Statues have a way of finding me. I don't set out to photograph them, yet they appear—in plazas, gardens, and street corners—each with its own silent story. Some are famous, others almost forgotten, but all of them invite a pause. Perhaps they fascinate me because public statues are relatively uncommon back home in Malaysia, so every encounter feels like discovering a small piece of another culture. What began as a simple fascination has become a journey of discovering the stories hidden within these silent works of art. 

Here’s another encounter in my Silent Stories series — statues that found me.

Sean Henry’s Man with Cup — Salisbury Cathedral

• Artist: Sean Henry (born 1965), a British sculptor known for creating life-sized painted bronze figures that explore identity, human presence, and everyday experiences.
• Artwork: Man with Cup (2008) is a life-sized painted bronze sculpture depicting an anonymous man standing quietly while holding a simple cup.
• Medium: The sculpture is made from bronze and hand-painted, a technique Sean Henry uses to give his figures a strikingly lifelike appearance.
• Exhibition at Salisbury Cathedral: The sculpture was displayed at Salisbury Cathedral as part of Sean Henry’s exhibition “Conflux: A Union of the Sacred and the Anonymous” in 2011.
• Concept of the exhibition: The exhibition placed contemporary human figures within the medieval cathedral, creating a dialogue between the sacred surroundings of the past and the ordinary lives of people today.
• The figure: Unlike traditional cathedral sculptures that often depict saints, kings, or biblical figures, Man with Cup represents an everyday, anonymous person — someone who could be any one of us.
• The cup: The ordinary cup held by the figure contrasts with the grandeur of Salisbury Cathedral, suggesting the importance and dignity of everyday moments.
• Location significance: Salisbury Cathedral, built in the 13th century, provides a dramatic setting for Henry’s modern sculptures, highlighting the connection between centuries-old spiritual spaces and contemporary human experiences.
• Silent story: Standing quietly among ancient stone and stained glass, Man with Cup invites visitors to pause and reflect on the unnoticed stories carried by ordinary people.

Sean Henry’s Man with Cup reminds us that even the most ordinary person can become a subject worthy of contemplation.

And the answer to my previous post’s little mystery? — Athens. Some of you were curious, so I won’t keep you guessing. Yes, the mystery photo was taken in Athens, a city in Greece where yellow taxis are part of the everyday landscape.

Where in the World?

Some cities reveal themselves with famous landmarks. Others whisper their identity through everyday life.

A row of well-worn balconies. Shop awnings catching the afternoon sun. Taxis weaving through the traffic while pedestrians wait patiently at the lights. Nothing extraordinary—and yet everything tells a story.

There are clues hidden in this photo if you look closely enough. Can you work out where this was taken?

Drop your guess in the comments.

Silent Stories#4

Statues have a way of finding me. I don't set out to photograph them, yet they appear—in plazas, gardens, and street corners—each with its own silent story. Some are famous, others almost forgotten, but all of them invite a pause. Perhaps they fascinate me because public statues are relatively uncommon back home in Malaysia, so every encounter feels like discovering a small piece of another culture. What began as a simple fascination has become a journey of discovering the stories hidden within these silent works of art. 

Here’s another encounter in my Silent Stories series — statues that found me.

The Statue of Petrica Kerempuh is a famous bronze monument located in Zagreb, Croatia, specifically at the top of the stairs leading to the vibrant Dolac Market.

Created by the renowned Croatian sculptor Vanja Radauš in 1955 (and erected in 1973), the sculpture is titled Petrica i Galženjaki (Petrica and the Gallows-birds). It depicts a cynical, rebellious ballad-singer playing a lute beneath a hanged man, serving as a powerful symbol of folk resistance and political satire.

Key Facts & Location

• Location: Dolac 8, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia (just above the main Dolac Market)
• Artist: Vanja Radauš
• Hours: Open 24 hours (Outdoor public monument)
• Accessibility: Wheelchair-accessible entrance

Who is Petrica Kerempuh?

• Folk Hero: He is a fictional, Robin Hood-like character from northern Croatian folklore.
• Traits: Known as a cynical, witty, and clever peasant who travels the world exposing the greed of the upper classes and mocking authority.
• Literary Fame: His legend was immortalized by the famous Croatian writer Miroslav Krleža in his 1936 masterpiece collection of poems, The Ballads of Petrica Kerempuh.

Small Hands, Big Gestures

Stumbled upon this during a walking tour in Zadar—kids’ artwork from a kindergarten strung across an alley, and even a little box where they leave fruit pits wrapped in paper for planting. 

Such a sweet reminder that imagination and kindness can brighten everyday corners.

"KAD JEDEMO VOĆE NAĐEMO KOŠTICE I ONDA IH POKLONIMO DA SADIMO STABLO. KOŠTICE SMO SAMOTALI U PAPIR VAMA SA DAR. UZIMTE SADITE ILI RASPJITE PO SELENIM POVUŠINAMA."

This roughly translates to: "When we eat fruit, we find pits and then we gift them so we can plant a tree. We wrapped the pits in paper as a gift for you. Take them, plant them, or scatter them across green areas."

Silent Stories#3

Statues have a way of finding me. I don't set out to photograph them, yet they appear—in plazas, gardens, and street corners—each with its own silent story. Some are famous, others almost forgotten, but all of them invite a pause. Perhaps they fascinate me because public statues are relatively uncommon back home in Malaysia, so every encounter feels like discovering a small piece of another culture. What began as a simple fascination has become a journey of discovering the stories hidden within these silent works of art. 

Here’s another encounter in my Silent Stories series — statues that found me.

The Caryatids: The Maidens Who Have Carried History for Over 2,400 Years

Among the many wonders of the Athens Acropolis, few are as captivating as the six graceful maidens standing on the south porch of the Erechtheion. Known as the Caryatids, these draped female figures are far more than beautiful sculptures. They are works of engineering, symbols of mythology, and silent witnesses to more than two millennia of history.

Carved from luminous Pentelic marble between 421 and 406 BC, each Caryatid stands about 2.3 metres (7½ feet) tall. Instead of conventional stone columns, the ancient Greek architects chose these elegant women to support the weight of the temple's roof. It was a remarkable feat of both art and engineering. Their thick braided hair was not simply decorative—it helped strengthen their necks against the tremendous load above. Their heavy, deeply folded garments conceal robust bodies capable of bearing weight, while their subtly bent legs create an impression of effortless grace and natural balance.

Today, five of the original Caryatids are housed in the Acropolis Museum, where they are protected from the pollution and environmental damage that once threatened them. Between 1978 and 1979, they were carefully removed from the Erechtheion and replaced with exact replicas, allowing visitors to appreciate the temple while preserving the priceless originals.

The sixth Caryatid, however, is absent. In the early nineteenth century, Thomas Bruce, the 7th Earl of Elgin—better known as Lord Elgin—removed one of the statues during the Ottoman occupation of Greece. It was transported to London, where it remains in the British Museum. Its removal continues to be one of the most debated episodes in the long-running discussion over the return of the Parthenon Sculptures and other Acropolis treasures to Greece.

Yet the Caryatids are much more than architectural masterpieces. Their story reaches deep into Greek mythology.

The name Caryatid means "maidens of Caryae," a town in Laconia, near Sparta, where a sanctuary was dedicated to Artemis Karyatis. During religious festivals, young women gathered there to perform graceful ring dances in honour of the goddess, often balancing baskets or sacred offerings on their heads. Many historians believe the Caryatids represent these priestesses, forever captured in marble, carrying not baskets but the roof of a sacred temple. In this interpretation, they embody devotion, fertility, dignity, and sacred service.

Centuries later, however, a very different story emerged.

The Roman architect Vitruvius, writing in the first century BC, claimed that the women of Caryae had betrayed Greece by siding with the Persians during the Greco-Persian Wars. According to his account, the town was conquered, its men killed, and its women enslaved and condemned to bear heavy burdens for eternity. The Caryatids, he argued, symbolized this perpetual punishment.

Most modern scholars reject Vitruvius' explanation. Female figures had already been used as architectural supports long before the Persian Wars, making it unlikely that the statues were ever intended as symbols of disgrace. Even so, his tale has endured for centuries, giving the Caryatids a second, darker identity.

The Erechtheion itself is steeped in mythology. Built on one of the most sacred spots of the Acropolis, it was dedicated to both Athena and Poseidon and associated with the legendary King Kekrops, the mythical first king of Athens. Some scholars believe the Caryatids served as eternal attendants or priestesses standing watch over his sacred precinct, linking them not only to Artemis but also to the very origins of Athens itself.

Perhaps that is what makes the Caryatids so enduringly fascinating. They exist at the crossroads of architecture, history, religion, and myth. To some they are priestesses frozen in an eternal act of worship. To others they are symbols of resilience, carrying their burden with quiet dignity. Whatever their true inspiration, they have stood for more than 2,400 years as some of the world's most remarkable sculptures—not merely holding up a temple, but carrying the weight of stories, legends, and civilizations.

Standing before them on the Acropolis, it's easy to forget that they are stone. They seem almost alive—six silent maidens who have carried history on their shoulders for over two millennia.

The Legend of the 99 Steps

On Bled Island, a wedding tradition says the groom must carry his bride up all 99 stone steps to the Church of the Assumption. He does it in silence, without putting her down, as a symbol of strength, devotion, and love. 

If he succeeds, their marriage will be blessed with happiness and harmony.

Question 

What if the groom can’t make it all the way up the 99 steps? Wouldn’t that feel ominous — as if the marriage were doomed before it even begins?

I have to admit, I was already huffing and panting about a quarter of the way up those steps—and I wasn't even carrying anyone! That certainly gave me a new appreciation for the grooms who take on this tradition.

But legends are symbolic, not literal. The climb is meant to show devotion, not predict destiny. Even if the steps prove too steep, love isn’t measured in stone stairways — it’s measured in patience, laughter, and the willingness to keep climbing together in life.

Silent Stories#2

Statues have a way of finding me. I don't set out to photograph them, yet they appear—in plazas, gardens, and street corners—each with its own silent story. Some are famous, others almost forgotten, but all of them invite a pause. Perhaps they fascinate me because public statues are relatively uncommon back home in Malaysia, so every encounter feels like discovering a small piece of another culture. What began as a simple fascination has become a journey of discovering the stories hidden within these silent works of art. 

Here’s the second encounter in my Silent Stories series — another statue that found me.

Equestrian statue of Louis XIV

The sculpture of King Louis XIV in the Cour Napoléon of the Louvre (near the I.M. Pei Pyramid) is a lead cast replica of an original equestrian statue by Italian Baroque master Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Installed in 2009, this casting was made in 1988 from the original marble masterpiece currently housed at the Palace of Versailles.

Historical Background

In 1665, the young king Louis XIV ("The Sun King") invited Bernini to Paris to design a new facade for the Louvre Palace. While Bernini's architectural designs for the Louvre were ultimately rejected in favor of French classical styles, his portrait bust of the king was a massive success, leading the king to commission an equestrian statue.

The Saga of the Original Statue

Bernini did not finish the equestrian statue until 1677, years after he left Paris. When Louis XIV finally viewed the completed piece, he hated it. He ordered it destroyed, but was persuaded instead to have it relegated to the grounds of Versailles. He later commissioned French sculptor François Girardon to "fix" the statue. Girardon modified the king's facial features, changed the mane, and altered the context so the sculpture depicted the Roman hero Marcus Curtius sacrificing himself, rather than Louis XIV. Today, the modified original remains on display at the Palace of Versailles in the Orangerie.

A Cat Between Centuries

 Walking the castle walls of Dubrovnik, you expect battlements, sea views, and echoes of history. What you don’t expect is a ginger cat, sun-drunk and serene, sprawled across an air-conditioning compressor—two legs dangling, eyes half closed, completely surrendered to the moment.

The vines creep, the tiles glow, the walls whisper of knights and merchants. And then there’s this feline philosopher, reminding us that history and modernity often meet in the most ordinary corners.

It’s a perfect little anachronism: medieval fortifications built to withstand sieges, now sharing space with humming machines of modern comfort—and a cat who couldn’t care less about either. No ambition. No deadlines. No emails. Just solar-powered happiness.

I think cats have already solved life—we’re the ones overcomplicating it.

Maybe that’s Dubrovnik’s charm: it’s not just a museum of stone, but a living city where cats nap on air-conditioners, tourists wander the ramparts, and time folds in on itself.

Silent Stories#1

Statues have a way of finding me. I don't set out to photograph them, yet they appear—in plazas, gardens, and street corners—each with its own silent story.  Some are famous, others almost forgotten, but all of them invite a pause. 

 Perhaps they fascinate me because public statues are relatively uncommon back home in Malaysia, so every encounter feels like discovering a small piece of another culture.

I'm beginning a new statue series. This week's encounter is the first piece from my growing gallery of statues discovered along the way.

Bronze statue of "Agriculture" located on the Queen Victoria Memorial outside Buckingham Palace.

• Name: Agriculture

• Sculptor: Designed by Sir Thomas Brock and unveiled in 1911.

• Symbolism: An allegorical representation of farming and harvest, depicting a woman in peasant attire holding a sickle alongside a powerful walking lion symbolising British national strength and power.

• Origin: Gifted to the monument by the people of New Zealand, together with its counterpart.

• Location: One of the four outer corner bronze groups of the monument directly outside the gates of Buckingham Palace in London.

• Part of a Series: Represents Agriculture, one of four allegorical groups symbolising the nation's Victorian-era ideals: Agriculture, Manufacture (Industry), Peace, and Progress.

"Inanimate objects sometimes appear endowed with a strange power of sight. A statue notices, a tower watches, the face of an edifice contemplates"      Victor Hugo