‘The Bathtub and the Cosmos’
Graphite on Paper. 2019.
84cm x 59cm
‘Exhausted from the day’s work, I had been laying in the bathtub for almost an hour, when a water droplet fell on my forehead. It had fallen all the way from the window above, where a thick layer of condensation softened the edges of the crescent moon in the night sky. These baths were a nightly ritual for me. The usually cacophonic city of the day had hushed to a still and serene silence for the evening. It was late enough that the city birds had ceased their songs, but not early enough for the mechanized street sweepers to be out. It was also around this time (celestial time), when the moon just happened to pass through this square opening high above me, bathing the space in a cold blueish tone, perfectly matching the night sky.
I sat in the warm bathwater with only my face peeking past the surface. The low mist which sat just above the bath, swayed to the rhythm of my breath. Every now and then, I would slowly submerge my face, feeling the warm water move from the corners of my mouth to the tip of my nose. Now, my entire body was underwater, but I kept my eyes fixed to the celestial body beyond the window. The gentle ripples on the water’s surface created from my moving, made the moon appear to be flickering in brightness. I felt as if I were floating in deep space, being drawn, ever so slowly to the moon’s pull. Floating through void, I could feel every star, and peer deep into the cosmos…
This short moment which felt like an eternity, was interrupted by a dense cloud which obscured the moon and its glow. Ever so slowly, I reached for the edges of my bathtub and heaved myself out of the water. I pulled the chord which swung open the window, letting the steam climb all the way to the top and disappear in the cold evening air.’