Our latest issue – Issue 4: Re(framing) Identity is available to preorder: Preorder Now
Tiga Mata is a bi-annual photography zine rooted in Southeast Asia, dedicated to spotlighting the region’s vibrant and diverse photographic voices. Its name, meaning “Three Eyes” in Malay, reflects how photographers in the region often navigate the world visually, emotionally, and contextually. Each issue is built around a specific theme and is curated in collaboration with a guest editor—bringing fresh curatorial energy and deeper regional insight.
With a visual-first approach, Tiga Mata prioritizes the power of photography to transcend language and cultural borders. Images lead the storytelling; sometimes accompanied by text, sometimes standing on their own—offering space for visual narratives to unfold with clarity, complexity, and emotional depth.
Published in a limited run per issue, Tiga Mata aims to remain intimate, intentional, and grounded in tangible circulation. It isn’t just a publication; it’s a growing conversation on what Southeast Asian photography can become when shaped on its own terms—without the need to conform, translate, or explain.
At the heart of Tiga Mata is a commitment to platforming Southeast Asian voices through a community-rooted, context-sensitive editorial approach. Editorial work, to us, is not just about selecting strong photographs; it’s about cultivating care, context, and conversation.
We prioritise work that is personal, place-based, and unapologetically honest—expanding the possibilities of what Southeast Asian photography can be. Each issue balances openness and editorial rigour. We don’t aim to publish everything; instead, we shape each volume into a reflective, cohesive whole; grounded in local realities and alive to the many textures of the region’s visual language.
Tiga Mata thrives on the balance between structure and experimentation, between individual vision and collective voice; making space for photography as a tool for cultural expression, critical reflection, and bold storytelling.
Tiga Mata began as a quiet idea in 2023, born not from an institution but from a community’s shared desire to see and be seen; to tell stories that reflect the layered realities of Southeast Asia. It emerged out of a need for a platform that felt honest, grounded, and visually driven.
The first issue was published in mid-2024, marking the start of an evolving project shaped by the community it represents. Each issue is developed through twice-yearly open calls, welcoming submissions from both emerging and overlooked photographers. Guest editors are invited to curate each volume, bringing new voices and perspectives into the fold.
Through this crowdsourced, collaborative model, Tiga Mata builds a space where underrepresented work can surface; where Southeast Asian photography is celebrated not as a trend, but as a deeply rooted and ever-evolving practice.
Tiga Mata is an independent, community-driven photography zine that thrives on passion, collaboration, and the belief in Southeast Asia’s powerful visual voices. Every issue is the result of countless hours of care—from open calls and editing to layout and printing; all done with limited resources.
If you believe in what we do and want to help us sustain and grow this platform for emerging photographers, consider supporting us.
You can buy us a coffee at ko-fi.com/zontiga. Every contribution, no matter how small, helps keep Tiga Mata going.
