Crescent Moon

‘Gopakapattanam’ or Govapuri was the Kadamba capital from 1030 to 1341 AD, until a natural disaster, likely a tsunami, silted over its port. The harbour then shifted to Ela (present-day Old Goa). Remnants of the old docks remain, and even now, one can walk half a kilometre into the sea at low tide. The gentle tides leave undisturbed shell patterns on the sand. Inspired, the artist collected thousands of shells, arranging them in a five-meter circle during low tide, a tribute to the moon, source of the tides. As the sea rose and swallowed the artwork, it became a symbolic piece titled The Moon and the Tides, reflecting the rise and fall of civilizations.