Seeing Beauty in Ordinary Objects

“During our recent trip we spent a few days with our dear friends Sue Hagan and Bill Goddard in Jamestown, NC. There is a small forest right behind their house and one morning I decided to go for a walk in the woods. I spotted this log from about 20 feet and curiosity compelled me to walk to it. I assume that someone had cut a tree and left this piece behind (perhaps for me). It was about three feet long. From a distance it was just a simple log, however, when I approached it and I turned it over to examine the other side I spotted the eye and the mouth right away.” — Narinder Sall.

GALVESTON: Drawing from mixed cultural influences, Narinder Sall offers a unique brand of cultural and naturalist photography. Born in Punjab, India, Sall emigrated to America in 1968. As a photographer he worked in both commercial and editorial circles. He drew a wealth of experience photographing a broad array of subjects including people, corporate ads, flowers, jewelry, food, and portraiture. His work appeared in a variety of national and regional publications.

In 1986, Sall co-authored Leonard Tharp: An American Style of Flower Arrangement, a hard cover book written by Lisa Ruffin Harrison and flower designer Leonard Tharp. The book was well received by local critics and collectors.

Visitors to the DesignWorks Gallery in Galveston examine Narinder Sall’s images.

Sall found his next set of unlikely subjects waiting in his brother-in-law’s backyard. His series, What Grew in Bruce’s Garden?, features a striking, often humorous look at the natural world. He then shifted his focus to cultural explor-ation, and his latest works showcase scenes ranging from window shopping in Memphis, TN to the holy shrines in urban India.

Approaching each of his subjects with a sense of wonder, Sall finds dreamlike images amidst ordinary settings. His purpose is to find new, revealing perspectives on the world and to share these experiences with his viewers.

Narinder Sall

Sall’s crisp black and white studies play with textures and movement of the natural world from the play of light across the surface of driftwood to the beguiling smoothness of a ripe vegetable.

Some of Narinder Sall’s images are exhibited at the DesignWorks Gallery on Postoffice Street in Galveston. Although the exhibit ends on 10th of August, the photographs will continue to be available at DesignWorks.

Where does Sall find his unusual objects? “Many were discovered in the neighborhood  yards,” Sall explained. Sleeping Log was found by a friend Kay Reese’s late husband and stayed in Kay’s yard for over 20 years until she passed it on to her daughter, Marcie, who lives two houses down from our house,  where I spotted it.”

“Often, I have located them during my walks or bicycle rides in the neighborhood.” Sall continued. “Folks have been very kind to let me borrow them to photograph. You Talkin’ to Me?, Obelisk, Medusa, Curiosity, Princess of Forest, and Big Foot’s  Footwere borrowed from neighbors and  are still decorating their  yards. And Winter was home  grown in my own back yard.”

“Monkey Business was found In Jamestown, NC.  in the back yard of our dear friends, Sue Hagan and Bill Goddard, during  a recent visit,” Sall continued. “Proposal was found at a water fall the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia. My neighbor, Robert, dug out a Crape Myrtle and threw it away for trash, but I rescued  by beating the garbage truck. This image is still untitled. Many images were produced from vegetables  that were grown by my brother-in-law, Bruce, in his garden in  Richmond, Virginia.”

Please visit Narindersall.com for additional information and images.