Burtynsky* describes this stepwell (a passive system designed for collective access to underground water) in Rajasthan as an example of beautiful architecture from the 1600’s. Isn’t it amazing?
Monsoon rains in India last up to 12 weeks and fill these wells via underground aquifers. After the monsoons, the cistern** is full.
Look closely and you will see people moving towards water.
When the British introduced pumps and communal taps in the1850’s, structures such as these no longer continued as sites for social and religious gatherings but became garbage pits or latrines.
During the severe drought of the 1980’s, Burtynsky reports that many requests were made to restore these stepwells. These requests were a serious look to the past in an effort to overcome the water challenges of the present and the future.
Getting to know Burtynsky has helped me learn about water and the creative process in a deeper way. I say getting to know him, not merely getting to know his work, because hearing his unassuming, kind, passionate, confident voice on my app made him a mentor.
The Water project took him five years. He didn’t grouse about the time. Good work takes time. Good creative work takes more time.
Have you ever spent real quality time on a project of your choice? Could you trust your intuition to find images of water as Burtynsky did?
Sometimes I think about writing a book but the time, energy, and focus this would require overwhelms me.
What about you? What are you willing to spend your time creating?
Please let me know your thoughts by going to the comment section or hitting reply to this email.
Thanks for exploring the mystery – Nicky Mendenhall
*Burtynsky Water exhibit, Nahargarh Cistern, Jiapur, India.
** Your toilet tank is a cistern!