007 - Floating Forests : How my newest Print Series came to life in Mozambique
For the first time in 3 years, I am soon launching a new Print Series of some my most sought-after work yet!
For those of you who have been following my work long enough, you probably remember I traveled to Mozambique in April 2024, on assignment for Sussurro, a locally crafted hotel residence built by African designers, artisans and builders.
After years of admiring the incredible work of its founders, Sarah & Adam, and their remarkable team, I was fortunate to finally experience the Nhamabue region with my own eyes. This stretch of southern Mozambique is where ocean and mangrove meet, and where the land itself breathes and reshapes with every shifting tide. A unique and poetic corner of our world.
Creating a new Print Series wasn't part of my original plan. But after spending time with the incredible Nhamabue people, learning about their way of life, and later reflecting on the work during the editing process, I felt compelled to build this work into something more feasible than just an online gallery of photographs. First and foremost, to support conservation efforts dedicated to protecting Africa's vital mangrove forests. But also, as a tribute to the rare and precious symbiosis nurtured by Sussurro, the one between the people and the land they call home.
So today I am presenting to you my newest Print Series 'Floating Forests', a poetic tribute to the Nhamabue region, one of the most precious stretches of mangrove forest in the world.
Disclaimer: This collection of 10 photographs will only be for sale for a limited window of 2 weeks, starting on May 1, 2025 and ending on May 15, 2025. After that they will never sell again. As a token of appreciation for being a subscriber of my Substack, you will be granted 24 hours earlier access than anyone else. This means you can secure your favorite image before they sell out. This Sunday, April 20, 1 will send out the Print Catalogue to all my Substack subscribers as a sneak peek into the collection and the story behind it. See the countdown here!
My first introduction to writing poetry
As I grow older, I find myself increasingly drawn to the parallels between photography and poetry, particularly in how both frame reality to reveal something deeper than what's immediately visible. They rely on the absence of information, and the space created by it in order to invite personal interpretation to fill in the gaps.
Over time, and I know this might sound pretentious, though I don't mean it that way, I began to see my work less as photographic storytelling and more as visual poetry. Through that shift, I've come to believe it's my role as a photographer to reveal those hidden things and invite the viewer to form their own emotional connection with what they see.
Poetry also has a way of compressing time, of holding memory and feeling in a single breath. That nostalgic quality has become central to much of my recent work. And so, I decided to try something new: to step gently into the world of poetry myself. I wrote a poem for every photograph in this.
You will make an actual impact with your purchase!
As you probably know by now, I care deeply about making an impact that goes beyond the stories I tell. Therefore, 15% of every purchase of this ‘Floating Forests’ Series will directly benefit the wellbeing of the Nhamabue people and the protection of their land.
This means you will make an impact with every print. 10% of proceeds go to African Parks Network, a non-profit dedicated to managing and restoring national parks across Africa. They are the most successful protectors of wildlife in the Bazaruto Archipelago, where this 'floating forests' print collection was created. An additional 5% supports Sussurro, so they can keep investing in a harmonious and precious symbiosis between people and land.
I will share more information about above in the Print Catalogue that I will send out this Sunday April 20 to all Substack subscribers.
I would like to end with a personal word, based on notes I took in the field.
“Through the passage of time, the most devoted guardians of nature are not scholars nor scientists, but those whose lives have long been entwined with the land. Those who listen to the earth's quiet whispers.
Wisdom that is not found in books or lecture halls but in the rhythm of the wind, the pull of the moon, and the ebb and flow of the sea.
For the Nhamabue people, the mangroves are essential to their way of life, offering food, shelter, and protection from storms. Therefore, for as long as memory stretches, they have nurtured this fragile ecosystem, with an approach that is deeply rooted in indigenous knowledge and wisdom.
As a result, these swampy wetlands are thriving without any external intervention, without any foreign investment. Just the delicate care of those who have always known that to protect the mangroves is to protect themselves. And so, these tidal forests endure, thriving under the gentle stewardship of those who have never needed to be told how to care for what has always been theirs”.
“I am proud that some of these image will decorate homes around the world and that parts of the proceeds contribute to safeguarding the wellbeing of the Nhamabue people so they can protect these natural spaces for generations to come”.
In the next 2-4 weeks I speak more about the work on my Instagram channels, so keep an eye out. On May 1 the public launch takes place, but for you as a Substack reader, a separate early-access link will be sent out on April 30, so you can secure your prints before they sell out.
Next edition:
I will make an official introduction to 'Los Puesteros' (working title), my newest poetic long-form multidisciplinary project. I will show some never before seen photographs, and introduce you to my team, as well as to GOST books, who will be publishing this story in book form.
Where Else Can You Find Me?
Website: www.pieaerts.com
Instagram: @BecausePeopleMatter & @PieAerts
Let’s build something meaningful together.