An Artists Dilemma

Minimalism as Simple Geometry

Minimalist Photography By © Prakash Ghai

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This minimalist photograph was shot at Jawahar Kala Kendra in Jaipur, Rajasthan, around 4 pm in the afternoon.

At that time of day the shadows get longer and the Jawahar Kala Kendra architecture gives them clean walls to fall across. 

Also, I wanted to share a situation close to my heart that I feel and have gone through myself as an artist.

An Artist's Dilemma

It is not easy being an artist. Usually what happens is that your immediate peers, your close friends and your family, would neither understand the work you do, nor will they be very optimistic about it. 

They just do not know the scope and potential of your genre, your vision, your self belief and of art overall, and therefore they will try and make you believe that you have chosen the wrong path.

An artist requires about 3 to 5 years of base building before they can properly monetize their work.

So here comes the dilemma! What should an artist do? Stick to their non-money generating art in the early years of creation, or listen to their immediate peers and choose a different path? get into business or a 9 to 5 job.

I face this dilemma myself as I do minimalist photography. The non-mainstream photo art genre. I do not shoot weddings, product or portrait photography, and people keep asking me where the money is.

I usually have no response to give them. I believe if I stick to what I do, I will be able to sail through eventually as I have that confidence in my work and my commitment to my art.

But life is really not easy. If you are an artist facing the same dilemma, share your story in the comments.

Coming back to the photograph and the composition that makes this minimalist and how it depict an artist's dilemma

The door on the bottom right represents the artist’s immediate peers. The water outlet on the left represents the artist. The long shadow of the outlet shows that the artist has been able to take their work forward to quite an extent.

The partition between the water outlet and the door shows the disconnect between the artist and those around them.

The composition’s highlight is the depth created on the right by placing the door on the rule of thirds.

The shadow differential between the two sections of the wall makes them look like different surfaces, even though the underlying colour is the same. I shot this at around 4 pm, which gave me that long afternoon shadow.

The image is black and white. I converted it because the wall is red in real life and I could not get the camera to reproduce that red accurately at the time. I later went back to the same wall and got the colour version, which you can see in the post Open Door and Water Outlet on a Red Wall. But I still like this version. Black and white strips everything down further and makes the shadow the main event.

In terms of types of minimalism, this falls under Simple Geometry. Two objects on a flat wall, separated by a shadow line.

Jawahar Kala Kendra is one of the best locations for minimalist photography in Jaipur. Designed by architect Charles Correa, the entire complex is built around geometry, flat colour blocks, and light. I have shot there hundreds of times and still find new frames every single time I visit.

If you want to experience this kind of seeing for yourself, I run a photowalk at JKK as an Airbnb Experience.

Buy a fine art print of this photograph: An Artist’s Dilemma on Fine Art America

Must Read:

• Types of Minimalism

• What is Minimalist Photography?