Natthaya Thaidecha

May the Matter Rest

May the Matter Rest is a personal journey into grief, secrecy, and corruption that began after the death of Natthaya’s mother and the secrets she left behind. “On the day she passed away in March 2020, my siblings and I discovered she had been entangled in serious financial troubles. Soon after, we were threatened by several individuals — some holding high-ranking positions, police, and former police officers. What followed was a relentless fight through corruption, intimidation, and court appearances. We found ourselves caught in a system we didn’t understand, drained of resources, hope, and trust.” – Natthaya Thaidecha
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Natthaya Thaidecha (Thailand), a Bangkok-based photographer, uses personal experience to explore grief, belief, and the lasting impact of socio-political power structures in her work.

Instagram: @maiheartandsoul

2025 Joop Swart Masterclass

Since June, the 2025 Joop Swart Masterclass participants have been working on their projects under the guidance of their mentors and participating in online thematic presentations by a lineup of industry professionals. In November, the group came together in Amsterdam for an intensive week of workshops, visits, talks, and the final project presentations, where the 13 photographers shared their work in progress during a special event.

For the second year in a row, the 29th edition of the Joop Swart Masterclass continued to focus on the MENA region, thanks to funding from the Porticus Foundation.


Credit: Natthaya Thaidecha


See more work by 2025 Joop Swart Masterclass participants here