Photography, through the lens of a painter, is akin to poetry in pictures. From capturing telling gazes in portraits to the mood of serenity and the passage of time in landscapes, the exhibition ‘Diverse Fragrance’ compiles works of six artists who have seen beyond the mundane. One such work catches the eye for its unusual juxtapositions and its use of colour.
Artist and photojournalist Shiba Prasad Sahu captures children in monochromatic hues with a pinch of colour. A photograph titled ‘Illusion’ draws attention to a bright blue house. Three young boys stand before the house and smile at the camera, their eyes shine even through the black-and-white frame. The bicycle hanging upside down over their heads beckons visitors to look closer.
“I coloured certain aspects of the black-and-white pictures to depict their importance in the story I want to share through my work. In this case, the house is where we spend our most intimate time. Our eyes open and the confining four walls are what we see first. It embraces us and watches us grow, regardless of its condition. I wanted the viewers to look into what that little house has held for years – our laughter, and also our burdens, our pains, our responsibilities. It also highlights what those children need the most growing up,” says Sahu, national photo editor, The New Indian Express.
Hidden from view
Each of the works, by the six eminent artists, is from different locations, delving into the untold stories of each region. While Sahu showcases portraits of children in Tamil Nadu, artists Ashis Dhir and Biranchi Sahu delve into tribal communities of Odisha and Chhattisgarh. One constant in each of these portraits is the gaze. “We as photographers capture the eyes because there is always a story to tell. One can see vulnerability and happiness,” Dhir says.
Both artists, who dabble in wildlife photography, focus on tribal life and have captured playful images of women and children in various moods. Sahu has photographed 12 primitive tribes in an attempt to capture their lifestyle, art and jewellery vis-à-vis in changing times.
Award-winning artist and curator Ramahari Jena points out that the exhibition, the result of 12 years of planning, took two months of compiling and choosing from thousands of photos. Jena plays around with lights from the street lamps in his work. His images of latticed screens are a window to the soul. “I find it interesting that one can look both inside and out from these windows and doors. Their transparency is what captivated me and what I want viewers to think about,” he says.
The landscape photography in the exhibition gives a deeper insight into nature. Dr Sanjoy Basu, a surgeon, deftly captures the natural morning light in Bryce Canyon National Park and Utah in the US. The serenity at dusk in the Atlas Mountains of north Africa are also quite well taken.
The mark of time
Artist Tribhuvan Kumar Deo’s set of close-up pictures of the Spiti valley are other striking captures. “I’m a biker and have had several trips to the hilly terrains of Himachal and Ladakh. I like to capture the abstract qualities hidden in the textures and nuances of the rugged rocky landscapes. When you look at these pictures, each has different textures and is riddled with dents and decay. Time has left its marks on them, and each mark has something to tell us. I just look at it like a painter, and for the way it helps me depict the changing times,” says Deo.
The artists, through their art, explore and encapsulate moments in nature and everyday life that often go unnoticed, almost beckoning the viewers to not just look, but to feel and reflect.