CLEARShilpa Gavane

A V A S I T IPhotography & Documentation

CLEAR

Copyright © Shilpa Gavane 2013

Photography and Documentation DivisionAvasiti Development Consultancy Pvt. Ltd.Regd. Office: Ahmedabad: 401, Shastra, Opp. Drive-In Cinema, Drive In Road. T: 079 40323308Studios: Ahmedabad: B-808, Titanium Square, Thaltej Cross-roads, Thaltej. T: 09099041404Surat: B-41, Atopnagar Society, Bhatar Road. T: 09824186962Mumbai: 503, Hiral splendor, Dahisar East. T: 09967010539

Email: photography@avasiti.in Website: www.shilpagavane.com

CLEAR

Shilpa Gavane

for optimistism, against hopelessness.

for beauty, against nonsense.

Preface

We use clear bags for sweets, food, clothes, medicines, garbage, water, stationary, paper, art, etc. After using them, sometimes, we throw them away. And they go flying about, nonchantly. They are so thin and light. It doesnt seem like they could do anything substantial on their own.

In following series of photographs, a colloquial clear bag is the protagonist. This is an attempt to search for beauty in ordinary life; look for answers; and maybe documentating process of a slow beautiful death. It is an attempt to show beyond what is clear.

lying casually,pinching,suffocating,

everything it’s stuck on

lying casually,suffocatingkilling softly,

everything it falls on..

on streets and gardens,it just,

clings on...

where it just, hangs on...

a fleck in the forest, a speck in the sky,

a blur in the water, a smear in the field

a spot on the lawn, a blot on the tree,

its everywhereeverywhere i see!

like speckles shining in the sunlike blobs floating around

it seems the world is full of them, is this a beautyspot that i‘ve found?

as it flies,to a landscape far away,

who could imagine

ever so subtly,with the wind it floats,

free, silently

ever so softly, it is creeping in,into my house

when caught, only a sound of it fluttering, comes a whispering,a song of holocaust

death is coming in,i suppose,

without making any noise

whats the point screaming,noone wants to hear,noone wants to accept

who can stop it,such a beautiful thing,

from reaching its destination

Anthills arent forever, Neither are borrows,

Why is nature so temporary?Where is the sustainability?

Analysing all this, a visionary,He creates a beautiful city,

All roads and buildings and thingsHave permanancy, stability.

Bur after a million yearsThere lies a relic city,

Clogged by nostalgia, breathing banalityIs this ideal, dear visionary?

To give our chidlren, he realises,a space to create, scope to play,

all his creations,must be temporary.

We arent immortal,neither should our creations.

Unless something dies, something else won’t be born.

Endnote:

“Plastics, one of the wonderful inventions of 20th century, has replaced the traditional material (paper / cloth etc.,) as packing and carry bags because of cost of convenience.” But at this cost, we are going to pay heavily with the lives our children.

Plastic recycling in India is only 47%. Where does the rest 53% go? Where is it thrown away? The plastic waste is now considered as environmental hazard due to the “Throw away culture”. The hazards plastics pose are numerous.

• The land gets littered which is ugly as well as unhygienic. Seeing landscapes full of garbage regularly can affect a healthy state of mind and hence retards development.

• Bags find their way into city drainage system; resulting blockage causes difficulty in maintaining drainage with increased cost, creates unhygienic environment resulting in health hazard and spreading of water borne diseases.

• Littering also reduces rate of rain water percolating, resulting in lowering water levels to an already existing water shortage.

• Soil fertility deteriorates as the plastic bags form part of manure remain in the soil for years. This results in decreased food quality.

• It has been observed that the animals eating the bags sometimes die.

• Fish and other marine species in oceans and waterways, misunderstanding plastic garbage as food items swallow them and die.

Knowing all this, people still throw away plastic bags. I dont understand why...

DIsClAImer: THe Work sHoWN IN THIs DoCUmeNT Is NeITHer fINe-ArT, Nor propogANDA.

IT mAy Be A refleCTIoN.