At The Edge
Cyanotype
At the edge, is a series of cyanotype prints across nine mounts which explore death that stemmed from the covid19-pandemic. Our surroundings felt suddenly empty and the absence of the people who left us was stark.
The project explores ways in which imagery can be created to show absence, loss and grief. The work helps in communicating the feelings of disorientation, confusion, loneliness by incorporating metaphors and imagery related to death.
The Labyrinth
The works consist of imagery of elements like doors, windows, hallways, staircases, passages etc. to convey the transition between life and death. Almost like a labyrinth, it was extremely hard for the bereaved to make sense of their lives after losing someone. Not knowing how to navigate from here,
the spaces which surround them seem disorienting.
the spaces which surround them seem disorienting.
The devastation caused by the second wave of the pandemic distorted our sense of trust in the institutions and the government. The imaginary architecture, gives the viewer a sense of unreality- something that cannot exist. Full of multiple perspectives, these cyanotype prints are carefully painted over using watercolor.
(Left to Right) Distorted reality, An unending oblivion, Pulmonary paroxysm.
The pandemic shifts into a frenzy, reminding us of the times when we were running to get medical supplies. This is a stage of extreme confusion, where one is oblivious to their surroundings.
We further experience the paroxysm of the illness that engulfs us and surrounds our domestic spaces. As the virus spreads, there is a sense of attack, within our bodies and on those around us. The fourth piece titled ‘Pulmonary paroxysm’ highlights this in a visceral quality. The stark brushstrokes alarm the viewer to make them think about the colossal loss of lives.
Remnants
The consequent grief after the sudden demise creates an empty feeling within us. All that is left are the remnants of the dead; their clothes, belongings, the spaces they occupied etc. These spaces are a reservoir of their memories, their lifestyle and habits.
We are not at rest. They are not at rest. Still, everything lies still.
Family members felt their lives were suspended in space and time, where their loved one was suffering but they were powerless. The work below shows moments frozen in time. The former daily routine of the family gets disrupted as many fell sick to the illness.
A catharsis of lament. (Left) It pulls you in, till you are no more. (Right)
Families were unable to lament and memorialize their loss in ways that are religiously and culturally familiar. 'A catharsis of lament’, tries to weave symbols of death and last rites into empty and abandoned places.
With the last work, there is a total loss of the image, similar to death. With this black-out, the series comes to an end.
Architectural Drawings
A large part of my exploration process involved making architectural drawings. I was intrigued by the houses of Yelahanka and used to go sketch them out. During my site visits, I saw a lot of abandoned houses and half constructed houses. The half-constructed houses gave me an eerie and empty feeling.
These structures sometimes seemed absurd, with different shapes of windows and doors placed anywhere. These drawings gave me a way to convey the feeling of confusion and distortion. The whimsical architecture had no direction- making a person ask ‘how do I enter? Where do I go? This was similar to how people felt after the traumatic experience-not knowing how to make sense of it.
Why cyanotype?
I found many similarities with my project theme and the printmaking process itself. Cyanotypes were initially used to make blueprints of architectural drawings. Layering architectural paintings on top of the prints reminds the viewer of its history.
There was a certain presence and absence of the image in the technique of cyanotype. While the sun was used to reveal certain parts of the image, water was used to remove the negative spaces. Using elements of nature like the sun and water connected to how the washing off of the solution from the image was similar to washing off the remains of the dead in the water- a sort of cleansing. The loss of the image, when overexposed or underexposed, was similar to the loss that I felt.
Visual Bank
All images are photographed, printed and painted by Aastha Mehta.
