Instead of constantly reaching for her phone and snapping her reflection in selfie mode, Michigan-based photographer Esha Biswas prefers to capture herself and the world around her in a more unconventional kind of mirror. For over four years, Biswas has taken over 30 self-portraits through the shiny surface of a tea kettle. For her, it is this unlikely prop that instills the mission of her project—to find the extraordinary in the most ordinary places.
“I was fascinated by the way the kettle stretched and transformed the world around me; it seemed to contain a whole little world inside of it, with my figure always at the center of the globe. Even familiar places, like bedrooms and backyards, were warped into whimsical reflections,” Biswas told us in an email. Her first portrait was taken at a transitional time in her life—just before graduating high school. The tea kettle has continued to travel with Biswas on her journey through time and space, and provides a comfort and a unique lens to keep her outlook fresh at all times. She’s carried the kettle with her to various settings, from her hometown to her dorm room at University of Michigan to the lamplit streets of Paris where she spent two months photographing French life and culture.
Biswas’ ongoing series, The Tea Kettle Adventures, is growing as it lives and breathes alongside her. The artist’s portraits document the significant changes in her own life—from the changing of seasons to the many travels she embarks on, as well as the most significant moments and memories, such as graduation. Through her photography, Biswas’ hope is to “urge people to look more closely at the world around them—even if it means looking at a pot of tea.”
You can see more of The Tea Kettle Adventures on Esha Biswas’ website.
