TEAR OF A BUTTERFLY by Ana-Maria Prelipcean

By (author): Ana-Maria Prelipcean

Title: TEAR OF A BUTTERFLY

Subtitle: FIRST I DIED, THEN I LIVED

Blurb/Shorttext:

Varanasi, also known as Kashi or Banaras, is considered one of the holiest cities in Hinduism. Its revered status is inextricably linked to the Ganges, which meanders through its heart. No other place exemplifies more this connection than Manikarnika Ghat, where thousands of Hindus bring their deceased for cremation, believing that liberation (moksha) from the cycle of rebirth is possible. Here, the cycle of life and death unfolds with a stark visibility and, while death is typically shrouded in secrecy and sorrow in many cultures, at Manikarnika, it is an open and active process, witnessed by all.

Manikarnika Ghat is more than just a cremation ground, it is a vibrant and complex space. The visual landscape is a tapestry of burning pyres, with their billowing smoke and dancing flames, of mourners, grieving families, with their emotions ranging from profound sorrow to stoic acceptance, of “the untouchable” Dom people, who have traditionally been responsible for tending the fires and handling the deceased.

Everything here is raw, honest and connected and can't exist otherwise, so, the photographic approach focused on capturing candid moments of daily life on the ghat. Using slow shutter speeds, the ghat itself becomes a poem, death transforms into something almost surreal and becomes a part of ME.

ISBN: 978-87-7620-529-4

Book language: English

Publishing house: Snap Collective

Website: www.snap-collective.com

Editorial Assistant: Natalia Manole

Designer: Anastasia Gushan

Published on: in production

Category: Art

Price (€): 129

Keywords: photography, life, death, mortality, existence, grief