Prabhavathi Meppayil's work is rooted in the inherent qualities of her chosen materials and modes of production. She uses the traditional artisan techniques and tools of goldsmithing to explore minimalist and postminimalist concepts in sculptural form. Her ‘Untitled’ series uses metal wire embedded within many layers of gesso, which is sanded back to reveal the grid of metal lines that appear and disappear beneath the surface.
Drawing on these themes, the publication’s cover features Meppayil's name in a bespoke geometric monoline lettering that invokes the delicacy of a metal wire weaving between layers of semi-opaque paper. A subtle shift of opacity in the tip-ins, offset by verdigris blue-coloured inserts throughout the book, further emphasises this materiality. The structure of the grid is evident in the balance and harmony of each page – reflecting the artist’s own interest in the formal qualities of modernism – while quotes from Meppayil run vertically down the page, intersecting the book with the artist’s voice.
This book was published to accompany an exhibition held at PACE Gallery, New York in Summer 2022.
