The title Controlled Freedom is a personification of the kind of work the two do; Sucharitha’s photographs are a catalog of portraits that have been collected over the last year since she graduated from her photography course at Jawaharlal Nehru Fine Arts University last year - austere black and white, mono-toned pictures that seek to characterise the subject through the lens. Contrarily, Lakshmi’s work have a flavour of its own - colourful collages of everyday street life.
Explains Lakshmi, “Sucharitha’s photograph’s are taken in a very controlled environment. She puts a lot of thought into the character or her picture, lighting and so on. However, my photographs are captured in a natural setting. What you see is what you get. Hence the we named our exhibition ‘Controlled Freedom.”
The 20-something Sucharitha has been free-lancing for media houses trying to build a repertoire through her work for fashion magazines and feature editions. Her photographs includes one of a woman styled as the Mexican painter Frida Kalho, a fashion shoot and a still of actor Nandita Das. Each painting is explained by a quote from a mix of artists including Pablo Picasso and Frida Kalho. The quote is used as a means to reflect the character of the painting.
“I try to give the viewer something to see other than just the photograph. I try to get one to think further beyond that what can be seen by adding some drama. I also like the vintage outlook,” shares Sucharitha. True to that, one of her snaps is styled like the olden day portrait pictures of a traditionally dressed woman sitting on a chair angled to the side, with a made-up background.
Lakshmi’s paintings, on the other hand, are a photo-documentation of street life, capturing candid moments at their colourful best; a bangle seller among his collection, a tribal women under her decorated threshold, a kite-maker at his work, a child hanging like a monkey from a window grill.
“Lakshmi’s photographs are very well captured moments. While she does do portraiture work, I think her best is her photo-documentary. She goes around clicking pictures of heritage sites and so on. Her photos always have a story to tell,” opines Sucharitha.
“I try to find a co-relation between the background and the subject and that’s my inspiration. I’m also very drawn to colour,” says Lakshmi about her work.
At the end of it, Controlled Freedom is a very wholesome and well-rounded juxtaposition of two very distinct and prominent photography styles - the designed to click setting and the setting that forms the design. To see for yourself, make your way to the Alankrita art gallery at Residence Inn, Kavuri Hills, Madhapur in Jubilee Hills. The exhibition is on till January 21.