Measured in leaves
(ongoing)

'Measured in leaves' documents the ecological and societal changes unfolding across Goa as rapid, often unplanned development reshapes the state’s landscape. As construction spreads, forest cover shrinks, aquifers run shallow, and the natural contours of the land are altered. These shifts extend beyond the physical environment, reshaping the long-standing relationships between communities and the ecosystems that sustain them.

Dwelling gently on what remains, the work takes a quiet, attentive approach. Texture, contrast, and composition trace subtle marks of loss, while small gestures of village life persist: worn footpaths, the sowing of rice paddies, and the rhythm of daily routines continuing even as the land around them changes. The result is a landscape in flux, where natural systems and traditional land-use practices that have shaped it for centuries feel increasingly fragile.

This work invites us to see value differently, honoring what truly sustains life: the communities beneath the trees, the roots that bind the land, the air renewed with each leaf, and the knowledge embedded in traditional farming and fishing practices. It encourages a patient, attentive gaze that witnesses both what is fading and the enduring presence of ancestral ways, reflected in the small, persistent rhythms of daily life that continue even as the land around them changes.