In Search for Meaning

In Search for Meaning is the first published book by artist-photographer Felisa Tan. This striking collection covers most of her major work for the past 15 years, many of which were never published before. Consisting of 72 photographs exquisitely made and sequenced by Felisa herself, unveiling spellbinding and strange mundane subjects from her extensive travels and light experimentations at home, she has created a record of the way she experiences the world after undergoing more than a decade of evolution as an artist and human being.

Felisa’s photographs reflect honest, clear observation, and an intricate and layered way of seeing, as she watches life unfold itself before her eyes. Her exceptionally loaded ways of looking at the world are reflected in her handling of space, composition, synchronised colours, shapes, and framing, and rather imperfect subjects and places. Common things — graffiti, carnivals, twilight, lonely scenes, and empty spaces — are all transformed by her subtle luminous vision into an extraordinary teacher, filled with ageless Presence and wisdom. The consistency of her proclivity towards certain kinds of places and moments of time, and deep insightful rendering of these moments, present us with an extension of her present tense, reading of meaning, and judgment of what might be of timeless importance to the readers in every phase of their lives. Furthermore, with her ability to grasp the little details that come her way as both an individual and a representative of a larger human and universal context, this rich compendium of images in both natural and human settings transport the viewer into the heart of childlike wonder and a lush infinite Universe.