Grief in Every Drop

Inaya Sheikh

Inaya Sheikh on: ‘Grief in Every Drop’

Water, an inorganic compound with the chemical formula H₂O, is integral to our daily lives, used for everything from cleaning our hands to taking a shower. It occurs in a variety of forms, such as distilled, filtered, or flavored. Water is highly adaptable, flowing around obstacles due to cohesion. Furthermore, water is associated with cleansing, depth, and transformation.

During my personal investigation into grief, which I have been experiencing since the recent loss of my brother, I have found that water serves as an allegory and helps me to express my understanding of loss through art. Due to the highly adaptable nature of water, it can demonstrate how a grieving person adapts to circumstances and flows around the tricky obstacles of life. The natural ebb and flow represent the fluidity of grief and the emotions that flow through us. Losing a loved one brings about vast transformations in life, forcing you to confront intense emotions.

For this six-shot showcase, I have chosen photographs and paintings based on my personal grief journey, highlighting a poetic response to water and how it has impacted my artistic process. Here is my grief journey through the lens of water.