Spanda

Spanda is a Sanskrit word meaning “sacred vibration,” the subtle pulse of life that moves through all things. In the non-dual philosophy of Kashmir Shaivism, it describes the quiet throb of consciousness itself, the gentle movement between stillness and expression, presence and form.

This body of work explores that pulse through abstract, impressionistic studies of salvaged flowers. Rescued at the end of their visible life, the blooms are re-imagined through an intuitive and unconventional process: free lensing, flowers leaning freely, lenses veiled with textures and materials, and at times the petals themselves painted. It is a process that has evolved over many years of practice and exploration. The final stage unfolds in the edit, where colour is carefully pushed toward states that feel deeply meditative.  Often working with soft undulating fields of bubble-gum pink, pale yellow and greens  and luminous tonal layers that feel almost like pillows of light.

The images are rooted in my long relationship with India and a personal practice of yoga, meditation and somatic inquiry. Research in neuroscience shows that what we absorb visually, colour, softness, form and rhythm, can influence the nervous system, shaping our emotional and physiological state. Gentle curves, organic movement and harmonious colour fields have the capacity to slow perception, soften attention and support states of calm and contemplation.

Many of the works in Spanda are created to exist as large immersive art works printed on beautiful museum grade fine art papers with considered specialised finishes. The attention to finish supports a depth of colour and  subtlety of  form that can fully envelop the viewer. Their scale allows the images to operate less as pictures and more as environments, spaces that invite the eye to wander, soften and rest. In this way, the work becomes both visual and sensory: a quiet field of vibration, a place to pause, and an invitation to experience the subtle movement between stillness and feeling.

See upcoming exhibitions in the  Uk and further afield to view in person.