The fishing communities of southern India are a portal to the unique way of life of the people of India’s eastern coast, lived at a completely different pace than in Delhi. The way these fishermen work is virtually unchanged from centuries ago, although the people in these communities lead increasingly modern lives. I was drawn to the handmade quality of the tools involved in the fishing trade. The tools piled up on land come together to make what I came to think of as accidental sculptures around the beaches and villages I visited. That sculptural quality translated into every facet of my time exploring Tamil Nadu—from the way people moved their bodies, to how they posed to be photographed, to inanimate objects like nets hanging in a shelter, and boats lined up on the shore. These photographs explore the relationship between the timelessness of these sculptures and way of life of the people in this region.
