This is the colour of true love, it overflows but it never withers away
–– Sana Ginwalla
Lusaka, Zambia.

Five years ago, I visited my grandparents in Gujarat, India where they stay in a house that is far too large for them. The home was made in the 1990’s to fill the buzz of a large family, boasting two swimming pools and bedrooms that overlooked the large garden and now empty playground. I decided to make images that documented the barrenness of this home in comparison to the way I remembered it during my childhood. The images reflect an intention to cherish what has changed, what is left and what has become of it now. The project was curated in layers to reflect the overlapping of memories with photographs. The image of the filled blue swimming pool was taken by my father over 10 years ago, showcasing its former glory.

This set, entitled This is the colour of true love, it overflows but it never withers away falls under a larger project entitled Yaaddasht which is an urdu word that translates to memory or retention. The focus and foundation of this project is my family, my relationship to them and our photographic archive. I work with this personal archive of photographs beyond their place in a family album and place them in different contexts and media. Using film, collage, writing and design publications, I use a familiar visual language to explore the Yaaddasht archive. The project encompasses all my ongoing personal projects that constantly allow me to further understand my own identity and heritage.

 

Visit sanaginwalla.com