After the Rain

Without water we are nothing more than dust, to which all organisms eventually return. Water urges seeds to bud and larvae to metamorphose. In religious rites around the globe, it is used to elevate spiritual awareness, and is seen as a conduit between this world and the Other.

Umbrellas endure challenges in all kinds of weather, facing harsh winds, driving rain, and sometimes the rays of an unrelenting sun. When their ribs break and fabric tears, they are abandoned on city streets. Alone in the womb of the night, their remains take on new life. The sixteen umbrellas in this collection-now freed from their assigned role-re-emerged as flowers, butterflies, and moths. These abandoned umbrellas, photographed by Abraham Menashe, reveal the beauty inherent in a discarded object, and deepen our awareness to the ever changing face of life.

Under the great canopy that holds the stars, lies a planet inhabited with birds and beasts. Looking up at the heavens, we marvel as one star vanishes and another appears. Death is always near; what's important is how we keep the light within aflame-to live each day as if it is the first day; the last day; the only day.

Raindrops fall, gently tapping the earth on its shoulders, like an alarm clock entreating the living to face life boldly. And when faced with loss, to wait with faith for life to be renewed.

To view the complete series and read an interview with the author, go to humanistic-photography.com.