BOOK OF HOURS

Tentatively titled The Very Modest Hours of La Jolla, this work in progress will become a secular book of hours. The title plays on the famous Les très riches heures du Duc de Berry, but unlike the deeply religious focus of the medieval manuscript, this work will be more meditative in nature. In lieu of rich, colorful illuminations, fine calligraphy, and gold foil, it will present only black and white photographs, with text set in modern, black type.

Instead of taking its structural cues from liturgical offices, the square book with its 24 photographs will function more like an illustrated clock that invites the viewer to slow down, and contemplate flowing, organic shapes. Rather than acting as a guide to prayer, it will draw its reader into a calm, inward-looking space, in which to practice mindful seclusion—if only for a while.

All the images were taken during a day on the beach in La Jolla, California, specifically with this purpose in mind. They therefore offer unity of time and space, combined with a shared subject matter: The passage of time made visible in the form of erosion. Each photograph will be accompanied by an ekphrastic poem that reflects on the images, and subject matter. The book of hours will be available in several versions, from a compact travel edition to a more substantial, coffee-table version.