
CHENNAI: In a world where every image lives on a screen and filters smooth away imperfections, analog photography feels almost like a quiet rebellion. It’s a world of film rolls, darkrooms, and messy hands coated in chemicals. But beyond the process, it’s a mindset — one that celebrates imperfection, unpredictability, and the thrill of waiting to see how the photo turns out. For the uninitiated, analog photography is the art of slowing down, of putting care into every shot, and of embracing happy accidents as part of the beauty.
This thought followed me as I stepped into the Alt: Analog exhibition at the Forum Art Gallery, Chennai held as part of the Chennai Phot Biennale. The room immediately felt like a sanctuary for stories, experiments, and the occasional happy accident. On every wall, the work of three incredible artistes stood in striking contrast yet in seamless dialogue with each other.
A bold red wall greeted me, dressed in black-and-white photographs that commanded attention. A crowd had already gathered here, each person leaning in to decode the stories. To my left, an entire wall of photos unfolded, like chapters in a beautifully chaotic book. To the right, a minimal corner setup of images felt like a quiet afterthought, inviting slow appreciation.
The air was filled with curiosity as visitors floated between the works, pausing to chat with the artists, who were just as much a part of the exhibition as their art. Adding to the charm was a pop-up store in the corner, stocked with analog cameras and rolls of film, nudging you to begin your own creative journey.
Nikhil and Anisha, who have been dating for two years, shared, “After taking a photography course together a few weeks ago, we’ve really been diving into art galleries and photo exhibits like this to find more inspiration. It’s amazing to see how different artistes express themselves through photography — it’s definitely helping us with new ideas!”
Presented by the CPB Foundation in collaboration with the British Council, Alt: Analog is a product of the CPB Darkroom Residency, where three artists spent 45 days exploring alternative photographic techniques. The result? A captivating celebration of imperfection, experimentation, and humanity.
Stopping by the Woods
One step closer to the works on the red wall, and you’re drawn into the poetic soul of Arun’s ongoing series, Stopping by the Woods. Inspired by Robert Frost’s Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening and the Tamil classic Kurincippāttu, Arun’s work is a surreal blend of artistic and documentary photography.
Captured during a 3,300-kilometre post-lockdown journey through Tamil Nadu’s mountain regions, Arun transforms landscapes into dream-like paintings using the gum oil printing process. “It’s a process that doesn’t rely on silver gelatin,” Arun explained as he demonstrated with animated gestures. “You coat the paper with chromium salt, expose it to UV light, and then paint over it with oil paint. Each print is unique — impossible to replicate.”
The textures of his work are magnetic — swirls of black and white, shadowy mountains, and intimate glimpses of the people and places that shaped his journey. Arun’s goal is to blend the artistic and documentary, creating pieces that exist in the space between fiction and reality.
“The idea,” he said with a smile, “is to embrace imperfection. Just like a typewriter’s typo can’t be erased, these prints have a life of their own.”
Camera and the Queer Image
Turn to the left wall, and you’ll find yourself immersed in Soham Joshi’s Camera and the Queer Image – Chennai, a deeply personal exploration of identity and belonging within Chennai’s queer community.
Soham’s medium — paper negatives — feels almost like an act of rebellion. “The paper itself is fascinating,” he shared. “It exists as both a negative and a print. That duality mirrors the fluidity of queer identities.”
The black-and-white portraits are striking. They were created collaboratively with queer individuals in Chennai, using large-format cameras to reflect the tension between structure and resistance. “The distortions in the paper and camera,” Soham said, “feel like a metaphor for breaking out of societal labels.”
What does he hope audiences take away? “It’s about starting a conversation — about sensitivity, inclusivity, and being more open to seeing people for who they are.”
Fighting Fish
Holly Birtles’ work in the right corner immediately catches your eye. Her project, Fighting Fish, is a visceral response to rivers — their beauty, pollution, and the monsters we create within them.
Holly’s images are a collaboration between performance, AI, and darkroom techniques. “I’ve worked with the Thames River in London for years,” she explained, “and when I came to Chennai, I saw parallels with the Adyar and Cooum rivers.”
Using AI, Holly created bizarre river creatures — half-human, half-fish hybrids — incorporating elements like waste, dirt, and personal memories. These creatures were then printed in the darkroom, the imperfections adding depth and emotion.
“It’s about how we engage with rivers,” Holly said. “The offerings, the pollution, the stories tied to them. I hope people pause to think about their relationship with nature — how they both destroy and cherish it.”
Alt: Analog is more than an exhibition; it’s an experience. It’s about sitting with imperfections, letting go of rigidity, and seeing the beauty in the process — not just the result. Arun’s poetic landscapes, Soham’s tender exploration of identity, and Holly’s eerie river creatures may be vastly different, but together, they celebrate the evolving possibilities of analog photography.
So, if you’re looking for inspiration or just an excuse to marvel at the unexpected, this exhibition is for you. Who knows? You might even walk out with a camera in hand, ready to start your own analog adventure.
The exhibition is on till February 15 at Forum Art Gallery