"Any photograph you take is a moment in time," says entrepreneur Varuna Arvind, the founder of the Chennai-based VA Gallery, which is showcasing a group photography show here that opens this weekend. The show, titled A Moment in Time, a collaboration between four emerging artists, is co-curated by Arvind and city-based artist and curator Upasana Asrani. "The show immortalises a moment in each photographer's journey and how that moment defines various narratives for each artist," adds Asrani.
According to the show’s curators, the purpose of this exhibition is to push art and artistic practices within the realm of photography out of the many stereotypes associated with it. The four participating artists—Ami Gupta, Praneeth Reddy, Rakshita Arvind and Nirali Datta—bring very different perspectives and aesthetics to the table, promising a wide range of subject matter ranging from postage stamps to black-and-white portraits, window scapes and street photography.
Also read: A new show that highlights the many shades of artist Mehlli Gobhai
Gupta, for instance, a Chennai-based photographer and photo artist who primarily works on portrait and documentary photography, will be showcasing photographs of envelopes and postal stamps belonging to a woman she has never met. "She is showcasing a treasure trove of stamps, dating from 1904 that was given to her by her father," says Asrani. These objects, the prized possessions of Mrs Banoo Pestonji, allow the viewer a glimpse into Banoo Pestonji's world. "Each of these photographs tells a story," believes Asrani.
Praneeth Reddy's work, signature black-and-white portraits shot in his room and bathroom, tell a different story: of skin textures, the play of light on a face or body and the small imperfections that make us human. "We are all lining up to be his next muse," laughs Arvind. London-based Rakshita Arvind's work, on the other hand, focuses explicitly on window scapes. "Windows encapsulate the multiplicity that the inside, outside, and liminal worlds occupy within every nanosecond," says the exhibition's concept note, adding that the documentation of these diverse worlds results in abstract, textured and layered imagery. Finally, there is Nirali Datta's work that draws inspiration from the commonplace, transforming it completely. "Her skyscapes and seascapes are very dramatic," adds Asrani. "
Around 75-odd photographs will be displayed at VA Gallery, Kotturpuram, between August 21 and September 21. Call 95510 60112 for more details.
Also read: How artist Reba Hore's broken leg inspired her unique journal
