In winter 2021, the doors of the Leica Gallery Zingst had to remain closed during the lockdown. Now life has returned to normal - a reason to celebrate. Jan Michalko does just that with his light-hearted images from the streets of Sri Lanka: it's hot, loud and colourful. The mosquitoes are buzzing. Scorching heat into the night. Welcome to Sri Lanka - paradise in the Indian Ocean. Photographer Jan Michalko spent six months travelling and exploring the realities and fantasies of everyday life and culture in this mysterious island universe.

"The island of Sri Lanka is simply beautiful: there are palm trees everywhere, even in the centre of the cities, such as Colombo. The vegetation is very varied and the country is also characterised by the 1950s style of architecture, some of which are remnants of the British colonial powers. It seems that time has stood still in some places on the island - I find that fascinating. I am also attracted by the lush colours - whether in nature or on the streets, on the walls, buses and everyday objects. I can immerse myself perfectly in a completely different world here," says photographer Jan Michalko, describing his experiences on the island. His artistic exploration culminates in a colourful result. Flashy photos: urban landscapes, everyday situations, snake catchers, people with elephants, elephants without people, Technicolour-style buses. A journey to the sultry and colourful tropics, the shirt clings to the body. Very close to smoking men who earn their living by cooking and selling chai or in the transport industry.