Gallery

This booksculpture is created from a catalog of portraits of reclusive Buddhist tribals living in Phaneng, in the north-eastern part of India. The pages of the catalog have been creased to suggest the form of the dharmachakra ~ the symbol of Buddhism that represents the Noble Eightfold Path. The eight spokes formed by the pages fan out in a half-circle. As you walk around the sculpture, the partly concealed faces of these rarely seen people peek out at the viewer. Peer over the top of the sculpture, looking down its spine and it is a surprise to see people trapped within the trapezoids. Slightly change your point of view and the trapezoids are empty. Gone. The red cotton threads used to secure the pages, are used by Buddhists monks to be worn around the wrist or neck to symbolize bravery. The white threads symbolize friendship.

'Amar Jawan' is a book of remembrance to honor Indian soldiers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in times of conflict, as well as for peace efforts and border management. The book artist has re interpreted the book - focusing on its visual and tactile qualities and transforming it into a unique object. This book sculpture takes its form from the Amar Jawan Jyoti or The Flame of the Immortal Warrior at India Gate. This large coffee table book has been turned into a sculpture by folding each page at precise points. Certain pages have then been wrapped around the form, holding the segments together. The pages have not been cut in any way and the overall shape of the text block has been achieved through precision folding alone.