This exhibition / installation was inspired by many different things that have, over the years, interested and engaged me. The first of these is black and white photography. I have always believed that black and white photography does more to evoke an emotion and freeze a moment in time than any other medium of the photographic arts; one can see and even feel what the image is trying to convey to them. Black and white photography is artistic, and has been the one method that I have come back to, time and time again for inspiration and satisfaction.

The second is Buddhism. As of recent times, I have developed a keen interest and passion for Buddhism. Its simplicity fascinates me, and yet I am also fascinated by what a many layered and complex a philosophy it is. I believe that Buddhism introduces one to the best possible philosophy to live life by, and although it is a philosophy that is more that 2000 years old, it is still relevant to our lives today.

Buddhism teaches one how to get on the road to Nirvana, the bliss attained by simply non-existing, because existence itself is misery. Illness, old age, suffering caused by loss; such is the misery of this cycle of life. To be rid of sadness, humans must fully embrace the impermanence of everything around them. Nothing is forever. That is the truth, the sathya, we are all searching for. One day, everything we cherish, everything we take for granted; our bodies, our loved ones, our hard work; will crumble into nothingness. I think that this very realistic and practical approach to life is exemplary. At a glance, it is simple and so true, and yet, when trying to practice it and apply to daily life, it becomes quite a challenge as our lives as humans are shaped by emotion; jealousy, attachment, lust; which distract us from this ultimate truth.

The third is, of course, my belief that life is a cycle. Even before my interest in Buddhism, I have always thought of life as a circle, and studying Buddhism only supported this idea. Everything seems to go around in circles. In the end, it is all connected; birth begets life, life begets death, and death begets birth. I started to explore what art means to me through this concept of life as a cycle.

Is it something that is isolated? Am I a part of it? What if someone was painting something and I was just standing there, observing him, and he included me in his piece of art as part of his surroundings? What if then, I looked at his piece of art and was looking at myself in it? Am I the viewer or am I a part of his work? Or am I both? What I have come to see is that even in art, all is connected.

This concept of being both viewers of the art as well as a part of it, inspired the idea that for this installation. I used nudes in order to connect the viewer to my work: when we are stripped down to our naked bodies, we are who we truly are, we see who we truly are; thin, fat, white, black, but ultimately, human. We are all the same; same flesh and blood. Same needs. And finally, we are all impermanent. Our bodies are just flesh and blood, and will one day cease to exist.

My exhibition is called “Sumsara Now”. You are in Samsara now, and as long as you remain thus, you will experience disturbing emotions. Otherwise, you would already be enlightened. In the past, no matter where you were born, you experienced various poisons of the mind. This is true regardless of whether you were in the higher realm of beings or whether you were born in the lower realms. Your present state is proof of that, because were it different, you would not be experiencing this emotions now.

This reinforces Buddha’s teaching about the impermanence of matter, and that feelings exist purely in our minds. We alone are responsible for our misery or joy, hopelessness or optimism.

Through the choices we make we decide our own happiness or misery, and our own state of mind decides the course our lives will take.

Each photograph is a different experience. Not only that, within each image, each viewer’s experience will differ from another’s. Going back to the concept of someone being both the viewer as well as a part of the piece, photograph will strive to make another viewer a part of your overall experience. Through mirrors and lighting, I have ensured that each viewer in one way or another is a part of someone else’s experience. You will have your experience altered by someone else’s shadow, someone else’s reflection, making what you are seeing different to what they are seeing. In the same way, you yourself will add to someone else’s experience, with your shadow, your reflection, making their experience quite different to yours.

I hope that each photograph heightens your senses and adds to your overall experience, and that they will make you acutely aware of your presence and contribution to a work of art, as well as the presence of those that stand around you. As much as this is a cliché, ‘This would not have happened without your presence here today’ now, at my installation, is truly sincere. Your contribution to my art and to someone else’s viewing experience is invaluable, so I thank you humbly for being here. You are the artist today. You take the reigns.