While browsing in a book shop sometime in the year 1997 I came across a book that had a lovely bowl on its cover. It was called Everyday Sacred, a woman's journey home by Sue Bender. I liked the description at the back of the book and picked it up. When I went home I could not put the book down till I had read it cover to cover. 

 

That book led to the work 'imperfect, impermanent, incomplete...', the body of work that became my first solo exhibition that was shown in 2003.

 

I researched some of the thoughts that the book talked about, or rather Sue talks about, and came across this: The Japanese concept of beauty is incompleteness and the beauty of omission is valued; empty space allows the imagination to fill in what is not depicted. And this is the unassertive simplicity, the Wabi Sabi of life that I explore with my images in this series.

 

I quote from Suzie Edwards catalogue essay, "Payal has chosen to explore the philosophy of Zen and in particular the concept of Wabi Sabi and how it applies to the everydayness of not only her life, but all our lives. The central image for this exhbition is the cup, an image that has long been associated with sharing, sustenance and ritual. Payal has photographed the humble cup and explored the image through various mediums. By taking what is traditionally a 2D medium, and transferring images onto fabric and clay, the artist alters and extends our perception of an ordinary, everyday object...".

 

I still have Sue's book and can read it all over again, anytime...

 

Download PDF of exhibition catalogue here: