Change is the only co­nstant. One such im­pr­ession of imper­man­ence finds refl­ection in a recent photographic exhi­bition ‘Tr­ansience’ by inve­stment ba­nker-turned pho­tographer, Siddhartha Taw­a­dey, at the Travancore Art Gallery, New Delhi. The ex­hibition, whi­ch began on Th­­ursday, sh­ows a collecti­on of more than 20 colour and black & white photographs.

The theme, says Tawa­dey, is based on Mujo, a medieval concept of Buddhism that means ‘no’ (mu) ‘permanence’ (jo). It encompas­ses the impermanent and momentary aspects of our existence and things around us, including birth, growth, change, decay, death, organic forms, constructs of society and time. “Transience exists in organic forms, constructs of society and time. The past consumes the present while we move constantly into the uncertainty of the future,” says Tawadey.

Using abstraction and metaphor, the photographs reflects Tawadey’s concern about the transience of life and nature. “The photographs reflect a fascination for everyday things. Both natural and urban landscapes, repetition, shadows of memory, the layering of history, order and chaos.”

Focusing on real and recognisable images in an abstract form, Tawadey says, "When an image presents a real, recognisable form in an abstract presentation, the results are more complex than in an abstract painting.” Citing an example from one of his works, he says one of his photographs on first glance shows an eyelid, but a closer look reveals a foetus captured in those eyeballs. In another photograph, one really has to look long to judge whether the eyes are of a child or a woman; the face being distorted so as to make the features unrecognisable.

In yet another image, one can see two trees and an outline of a hut still intact while a strong wind is swirling past it. “I have tried to capture stability, which is essential in one’s relationships,” says Tawadey. For one of the photographs, the photographer had specifically gone to Tamil Nadu “just to capture the movement of windmills.” Other works include Elephant Boy, Mystic, Soul and Monet.

Tawadey works have been largely influenced by his education and his work spanning several continents and cities. He did his MBA from Middlesex School of Business in London) and joined as a banker with Global Funds Solution, London. Later, a failed business led him to pursue photography. He went on to study art, architecture and photography from St Martin’s School of Design in London, painting and photography from City University, London and photo fusion - advanced and alternative darkroom printing, London.

Desolation remains Ta­wadey’s signature style. “The exhibition aims to sh­ow that when we cease to ch­ange, we cease to exist. Everything is in movement. It is this movement that I have attempted to capture,” he says. The exhibition highlights the traditional co­ncept of darkroom to deve­lop the photographs. Tawa­dey makes the vanishing dark room his studio and a Buddhist concept his muse! The exhibition will also be held in Mumbai, Calcutta and London.