Works of Kolkata-based photographer Mala Mukerjee, which are on display at Apparao Infinity Galleries, capture the essence of trivial moments that one often fails to notice. Mala, who has been in the field for over three decades now, says she never frames a shot with a story in her mind.
The 28 photographs which are part of the exhibition titled ‘Unheard Melodies’ seem straight out of a canvas. One might mistake her photographs for oil paintings. The photos include a dhobi ghat in Kolkata, vintage doors, windows, rain drops, graffiti, and those that she clicked during her visit to China’s Yunnan Province, where she had been invited as a special guest. “To me, photography is more like art. The Asian metros, which are of full of contrasts, give one amazing pictures. One just has to open one’s eyes and look for it. The photographs have been taken in and around Mumbai, China, Europe, and Singapore in the last couple of years,” she says. According to her, high end cameras do little to get a better result. “I do not use a DSLR always. I have taken quality pictures with a handy camera too. All that matters is the person behind the lens, visualisation and composition,” she says.
Mala, who is a graduate in Applied Art and Design Studies from the London Guildhall University, had taught photography at Krishnamurti Foundation India, Chennai, in late 80s. Bloomsbury had published a book titled Colonial Calcutta, Religious Architecture as a Mirror of Empire in 2012 featuring her works. About being successful in a profession that does not see many women, Mala says, “I see myself as an artist and a photographer. That comes first, not my gender.” Equating the art of photography with traditional art forms, Mala says, a strong image or photographs should touch a chord within those who see it, just like how a piece of brilliant music evokes strong feelings. Commenting on the trend today, Mala says, “Today’s youngsters are busy clicking pouting selfies and groupies. The real desire to capture human emotions, moods, expressions and moments is missing. And that’s very sad.”