NOTES : SAYALI GOYAL
In the latest edition of our series ‘Notes’, we got to talking with photographer & traveller Sayali Goyal of cultural journal, Cocoa & Jasmine. Here, we talk about her inspirations and her journey and offer a sneak peek into her recent collaboration with us.
Could you tell us a little about your journey.
I studied surface textiles from the University of Arts London and graduated in 2011. I was seventeen that summer when I moved out of home, so would say living on my own and figuring things out came a bit early. During my stay in London, I did a lot more than just my course. I was always keen on attending events around the city, exploring England on weekends as there are many small towns around London which are quite charming.
I also saw myself as a jack of all trades, hence a lot of internships happened which increased my network and exposure to what all I could do in terms of being creative which was not restricted to just designing. I enjoyed photography, at that time I had a Sony digital camera. I always kept a journal with me to scribble thoughts and sketches. I was a big list maker even back then. I really enjoyed trying local foods, exploring different neighbourhoods, researching about them and reading. I would say the journey began then itself. I enjoyed the documenting and curating process.
In terms of your photography, travel comes into play a lot. How did you come about this combination?
I am actually not trained in Photography, nor do I own a fancy camera. So I would say photography happened because of travel. I like to document my experiences, and photos was a great way of doing that, Since I am from a design and arts background, I would say I had a natural inclination towards having a good eye for things. I saw things in a unique perspective and photography was a part of my creative process of designing and curating. When I am travelling I take photos on my IPhone which I think is very practical. When I started to curate Cocoa and Jasmine, I realised my love for photos. I had about 40,000 images to shortlist from! I realised my natural inclination towards certain colours, textures and landscapes.
You recently went on a 3 week road trip through South India.. Tell us more about the experience.
I was on the road for 3 weeks and I would say this was a turning point in my life. I didn’t realise back then how it would be so special. I had never done something like this before and it was truly pushing my limits. Seeing your own country when you are part of it yet different was interesting. There is so much one can learn about themselves through journeys like this. The trip was only half planned, and half impromptu. I had both luxury and affordable experiences, which made it more exciting. After travelling to a certain place, I always associate it with certain tastes and smells. During this journey I had locally grown coffee, chocolate and tea. In Madurai I got myself jasmine for my hair. I would say Cocoa and Jasmine was a product of this journey.
Tell us a little about your collaboration with us – how did you envision it?I had been following your brand since the beginning and enjoyed the aesthetics. I am a lover of good packaging and niche products. I could relate to your community and wanted to share my writings and photos.
What’s on your travel bucket list?
I really want to do South America and Morocco!
Your favourite Instagram accounts to scour for inspiration.
