Monday, July 20, 2009

How Connected Are You?

Everything is related to everything else, although it may not be apparent upon first glance. The same patterns repeat themselves over and over -- in nature, in textiles, in arrangements and in random moments. When I travel, I take photographs of everything that catches my eye, whether it's a flowering vine arched around a window or an arrangement of trash on the side of the road. I don't try to understand why something compels me to photograph it, I merely compile and absorb. When I arrive home, I look over my photos for styles or patterns which repeat themselves. Sooner or later, these motifs bubble to the surface and reveal themselves through my home, my wardrobe, and the way I choose to live.

For instance, I firmly believe that my many photos of beautiful women in brightly colored saris...
(Taj Mahal, 2007)

...led me to gradually over the last two years adopt a much more colorful wardrobe...

...and perhaps instigated my predilection for arranging books as though they were rows of ladies in brightly colored saris...

...and vigorously reaffirmed my love for the stripe.


Likewise, this assemblage of prayer flags fluttering in the wind...
(Potala Palace, Tibet, 2007)

...looks like a religious version of my inspiration board, which flutters in the wind (when the French doors are open) with the pinned-up talismans of my life.

From the vantage point of time, I can see that the exhilarating clash of patterns on these hand-woven Tibetan clothes... 
(Lhasa, 2007)

...probably made me fearless enough to attempt my own version at home.

And in this beautifully organized and highly colorful arrangement of grocery items in Lhasa...
(Tibet, 2007)

...I am reminded of my own living room with its own tightly-packed arrangement of books and personal objects.

Finally, this gnarled tree in Angkor Wat, entwined in a pas de deux with the ancient temple beneath it...
(Cambodia, 2007)

...reminds me of the old tree trunk I bought on sale and had topped with glass. Its branches now support some of my own ancient artifacts: a trilobyte, an ammonite and a woolly mammoth tusk.


For a moment, close your eyes and reflect upon your own unique assortment of life experiences. Now look around you. Can you make any connections to what you've seen and how you live? 

Just curious.

18 comments:

Vasudha Narasimhan said...

excellent exellent post.....an eye opener....loved it

StuckInABook said...

What a wonderful post, I love all these connections! Looking round my room now... I just see lots of colour and lots of books. Will have to think on't. Where does my love of bright colours come from?

pve design said...

You have such objective with your connection.
This post could have been without words, the photos communicated your objective clearly.
I shall try this....I guess there are no disclaimers that this sort of exercise could cause heart palpitations, or one to break out in a rash...or eyes to open a bit wider...
pve

home before dark said...

So love does mean having to say sari! The mind and eye are amazing things when distilled through the sentiment of the heart. Connection and remembrance savored with exuberance. Doesn't get any better.

Don't know if you saw my late comment on your tattered rug post. Bloomsbury group featured on the Venetian Red blog.

Pigtown*Design said...

I adore the prayer flags... I have them strung around my wee back garden!

Angie Muresan said...

So true! Never thought about it before, but I see how my travels have influenced my home and closet too.

Laura said...

Ah, you have really opened my eyes with this one...I can only say that the first place I go in a new city is to the main market, if there is one, and to specialty food shops/outdoor vendors if there is not. And I seem to spend most of my time doing the same at home in New York!

Diane Dorrans Saeks said...

HI LISA-

Beautiful!
Your bench is fantastic--almost kinetic pattern.

Question: why are some books upside down in the shelf? Did they disappoint? Are they on probation? Are they in detention? Or are they less favorite? Or are they your next to read.

Stieg Larsson: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo: has picked up enormously and is wonderful, now that I'm past the preface and ground-laying. We shall see how it plays out. Will send when finished.

DODSWORTH! I see it on your shelf. I am sure you have seen the film--one of the great great greats! (Some of my filmie friends think it is the best film of all time.)

Cheers!
www.thestylesaloniste.com

Clarity said...

The world is a feast for the eyes, I don't blame you for wanting to take some of that home.

I like how the influences and connections are so prominent in your mind. I tend to be aware of them without really searching them out. A unique post, Lisa, very unique :)

Simply Mel {Reverie} said...

This post couldn't be any truer...how one lives and what one experiences definitely forms their world. Excellent post!

pixelimpress said...

very thought provoking, lisa. as i look around my house i definitely see correlations in color... from the garden to the artwork to my photography to yes, even my wardrobe. beautiful post. pam

Meg said...

This is my favorite post of yours, ever. Fantastic! You have such a great eye! Gorgeous photos, I love the mix of culture, color, texture and spirit in your home and your travels. Thanks!! :) I want to try this exercise myself with some of my photos from traveling around the world!

clairedulalune said...

Oh, I love your blog! I found you through W magazine, congrats to you! I totally agree with your post, nearly everything I do creatively is inspired by past experinces and every day things! Nice to meet you!

vicki archer said...

I love the way your photographs have inspired your clothing and your decorating - beautiful images and totally inspiring. I am a great traveler and love to find my creative energy from what I see around me too, xv.

Style Court said...

Lisa -- kindred spirits again. I completely relate to this post. Do you have Cecil Beaton's An Indian Album or Tibet Style published by Flammarion? If you've mentioned these before, my apologies, if not, I think you would love them.

Congrats on W!

C

Unknown said...

I love the connection you made between the people, clothes and objects in your photos and the things in your home. I know my eye always falls on those things that are bright and colorful and full of joy and inviting. I see a lot of that in your photos.

This is a wonderful, thought-provoking post!
Amy
Aimala127@gmail.com

Tracy Watier said...

Interesting... very thoughtful. I'm sure we all have subconcious attachments to images/colors/forms and I've asked clients what and why when it comes to those things but I don't think I've ever done that exercise with myself. My husband will think I've gone off the deep end if I wander around the house contemplating everything any more than usual. I'll wait til he's not here...

StuckInABook said...

Do you mind if I steal a couple of these photos for a blog post I'm doing? I'm pointing people in the direction of posts I've really loved over the past few weeks, and I want to illustrate why I love this post so much! I'll pop them up, and take them down if you'd rather I did... hope that's ok
Best,
Simon

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