भौगोलिक सीमांत (𝘓𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘎𝘦𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘴) : परमजीत सिंह के भूदृश्य

कला विचारः डॉ. वेद प्रकाश भारद्वाज

परमजीत सिंह आधुनिक भारतीय कला के प्रमुख कलाकार हैं जिन्होंने अपनी रचनाओं के माध्यम से प्रकृति के सौंदर्य और उसके देखे-अनदेखे पहलुओं को देखने व खोजने की एक नई दृष्टि दी है। वडेहरा आर्ट गैलरी द्वारा आयोजित उनकी एकल प्रदर्शनी भौगोलिक सीमांत (𝘓𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘎𝘦𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘴) 27 फरवरी से 3 मार्च, 2026 तक नई दिल्ली के बीकानेर हाउस की मेन गैलरी में हुई। यह प्रदर्शनी वडेहरा आर्ट गैलरी, डिफेंस कालोनी, नई दिल्ली में 6 मार्च 2026 से उपलब्ध रहेगी।

प्रकृति अपने स्वभाव में विविधता और रूपगत पूर्णता के साथ उपस्थित रहती है। वह एक साथ दृश्य और अदृश्य, ठोस और तरल, प्रकाश और छाया, विस्तार और रिक्ति का संगम है। प्रकृति के दो सीमांतों के बीच स्थिर दृश्य का चित्रण पेंटिंग में होता है पर उस स्थिर दृश्य में भी एक गति होती है। स्थिरता में हलचल का यह आभास परमजीत सिंह जैसे कलाकार के रचना संसार को महत्वपूर्ण बनाता है। अधिकांश कलाकार जब भूदृश्य रचते हैं, तो वे प्रकृति के प्रत्यक्ष, दृश्य और भौतिक रूप को केंद्र में रखते हैं—पेड़ों, आकाश, जल, क्षितिज और रंग-संयोजन के माध्यम से वे एक स्थल-विशेष का आभास निर्मित करते हैं। किंतु परमजीत सिंह उन विरल कलाकारों में हैं जो प्रकृति के सीमांत क्षेत्र को अपना विषय बनाते हैं। यह सीमांत क्षेत्र नहीं है, कोई भौगोलिक सीमा नहीं है; यह दृश्य में उपस्थित भाव, स्मृति और अनुभूति का वह प्रदेश है जहाँ दृश्यात्मक अनुभव आंतरिक स्पंदन में परिवर्तित हो जाता है। स्थिर भू-दृश्य को रंगों के प्रत्यावर्तन और प्रकाश व छाया के खेल से वह स्थिर नहीं रहने देते।

उनके चित्रों में प्रकृति का उजास चकाचौंध पैदा नहीं करता, बल्कि एक मद्धिम, आत्मीय आलोक में प्रस्फुटित होता है। यहाँ प्रकृति दृश्य-सौंदर्य का प्रदर्शन नहीं करती; वह आत्मसंवाद का माध्यम बनती है। दर्शक जब उनके कैनवास के सामने खड़ा होता है, तो वह किसी विशिष्ट स्थल पर नहीं, बल्कि एक मानसिक क्षेत्र में उपस्थित होता है। एक मानसित क्षेत्र जो कल्पना और यथार्थ से एकसाथ संवाद करता है, जिसमें प्रकृति के सादृश्य रुपों की विपुलता के बोध के बीच एकांत उपस्थित रहता है, जहां मौन एक संवाद है, और आंतरिक शांति जिसमें अदृश्य हलचलें प्रकृति के निरंतर परिवर्तित स्वरूप को दर्शाती हैं। उनकी पेंटिंग्स सिर्फ दृश्य नहीं हैं, एक संकेत है, एक मौन संवाद है।

प्रकाश और छाया का आत्मीय व्याकरण

परमजीत सिंह की कला में प्रकाश और छाया केवल तकनीकी तत्व नहीं हैं; वे संरचना के दार्शनिक आयाम हैं। प्रकाश यहाँ किसी क्षणिक चमक का संकेत नहीं देता, बल्कि वह समय की गहराई का वाहक है। छाया दृश्य को ढँकती नहीं, बल्कि उसे विस्तार देती है। यह अंतःक्रिया दृश्य को उसके प्रत्यक्ष यथार्थ से अलग एक दूसरे स्तर पर स्थापित कर देती है—जहाँ बाह्य वस्तु का अस्तित्व उसके आंतरिक अर्थ में रूपांतरित हो जाता है। इससे उनकी रचनाओं में एक तरह की नाटकीयता जन्म लेती है। घने जंगलों की दुनिया में किसी एक जगह पर प्रकाश का प्रभाव या प्रकाशित मार्ग की अनुभूति, या पेड़ों के बीच से झांकता प्रकाशित आकाश, कहीं घने पेड़ों के बीच से आलोकित होता कोई एक अलग रंग, यह सब परमजीत सिंह की कला को रहस्यमय बनाता है, और शायद यही उनकी कला का सौंदर्य है कि वह सिर्फ सुंदर नहीं है, अनुभव नहीं है, वह चेतना का विस्तार भी है। उनकी एकल प्रदर्शनी, भौगोलिक सीमांत (𝘓𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘎𝘦𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘴) में प्रकाश और छाया की चंचल गतिशीलता अपेक्षाकृत कम है, उसकी जगह स्थिरता अधिक दिखाई देती है। वडेहरा आर्ट गैलरी द्वारा आयोजित यह प्रदर्शनी 27 फरवरी से 3 मार्च 2026 तक बीकानेर हाउस में और उसके बाद 6 मार्च से वडेहरा आर्ट गैलरी, नई दिल्ली में रहेगी। उनकी नई रचनाओं में वैसा आलोड़न नहीं है जो पहले हुआ करता था। इन चित्रों को देखकर किसी संत की संयमित और स्थिर साधना का बोध होता है, जैसे कोई गायक एक सुर पर स्थिर हो गया है। यहाँ कोई तीव्र नाटकीयता नहीं, कोई आकस्मिक झिलमिलाहट नहीं; बल्कि एक संयत, स्थिर और ध्यानपूर्ण आलोक है। यह स्थिरता दृश्य को कालातीत बनाती है। ऐसा लगता है जैसे समय ने स्वयं को विराम दे दिया हो और दृश्य किसी आंतरिक शांति में स्थिर हो गया हो।

परतों का शिल्प और गहराई की संरचना

परमजीत सिंह की रचना-प्रक्रिया बहुस्तरीय है। वे कैनवास पर अनेक परतों में कार्य करते हैं—रंग की पारदर्शिता, अपारदर्शिता, मद्धिमता और उजास के सूक्ष्म संतुलन के साथ। यह परत-दर-परत निर्मिति चित्रों में केवल भौतिक गहराई नहीं लाती; यह अनुभव की गहराई भी रचती है। दर्शक जब चित्र को देखता है, तो उसकी दृष्टि सतह पर नहीं रुकती; वह भीतर उतरती जाती है।

यह विधि स्मृति की संरचना से मिलती-जुलती है। जैसे स्मृतियाँ एक-दूसरे पर आच्छादित होती हुई वर्तमान अनुभव को आकार देती हैं, वैसे ही विभिन्न रंगों की परतें दृश्य को उसके अंतिम रूप तक पहुँचाती हैं। परिणामस्वरूप, चित्र केवल एक दृश्य नहीं रहता—वह एक मानसिक परिदृश्य (mental landscape) बन जाता है।

प्रकृति का आध्यात्मिक आयाम

परमजीत सिंह की रचनाओं में मानव की अनुपस्थित के बाद भी उसकी उपस्थिति का आभास बना रहता है। यह अनुपस्थिति उनकी कला का एक महत्वपूर्ण वक्तव्य है। यहाँ मनुष्य प्रकृति पर आधिपत्य स्थापित करने वाला प्राणी नहीं, बल्कि उसके मौन विस्तार में विलीन एक चेतना है। यह दृष्टि समकालीन समय की प्रकृति में हस्तक्षेपकारी प्रवृत्तियों के विपरीत एक संतुलित, विनम्र और आत्मसंयत दृष्टिकोण प्रस्तुत करती है।

उनकी रचनाएँ किसी विशिष्ट सामाजिक-राजनीतिक वक्तव्य का प्रत्यक्ष उद्घोष नहीं करतीं, परंतु वे एक गहरी सांस्कृतिक संवेदना का संकेत अवश्य देती हैं—जहाँ प्रकृति को उपभोग की वस्तु नहीं, बल्कि अनुभव की भूमि माना जाता है।

परमजीत सिंह के भूदृश्य दृश्य-यथार्थ के पुनरुत्पादन से आगे बढ़कर अनुभूति के आंतरिक भूगोल का मानचित्र तैयार करते हैं। वे प्रकृति को देखने का एक ऐसा तरीका प्रस्तुत करते हैं, जिसमें दृश्य और अदृश्य, प्रकाश और छाया, स्थिरता और गतिशीलता, सतह और गहराई—सभी मिलकर एक ध्यानात्मक अनुभव रचते हैं।

उनकी कला हमें यह याद दिलाती है कि प्रकृति का सीमांत बाहर नहीं, भीतर है। उसे देखने के लिए आँख से अधिक संवेदना की आवश्यकता है। और शायद यही उनकी कृतियों की सबसे बड़ी उपलब्धि है—वे दर्शक को केवल देखने नहीं, बल्कि ठहरकर अनुभव करने के लिए आमंत्रित करती हैं।

सभी चित्र वडेहरा आर्ट गैलरी के सौजन्य से साभार। 

शम्भु नाथ गोस्वामी की एकल प्रदर्शनी

नई दिल्ली की शांता आर्ट गैलरी में इन दिनों शम्भु नाथ गोस्वामी की एकल प्रदर्शनी कला-प्रेमियों के लिए एक विशेष अनुभव बन गई है। इस प्रदर्शनी में उनके पिछले कई वर्षों की सृजनात्मक यात्रा को समेटती रचनाएँ प्रदर्शित की गई हैं, जो उनके कलात्मक विकास और दृष्टि के विस्तार को स्पष्ट रूप से दर्शाती हैं। शांता आर्ट गैलरी के डायरेक्टर दलीप सिंह हितकारी ने प्रदर्शनी के उद्घाटन पर अतिथियों का स्वागत किया। प्रदर्शनी का उद्घाटन  शिल्प कलाकार बीमान बिहारी दास, वरिष्ठ कलाकार प्रेम सिंह, नीरेन सेन गुप्ता, अपर्णा कौर, जितेन हजारिका, अनिल सुतार व अन्य कलाकारों के हाथों हुआ। इस अवसर पर अनेक कलाकार व कला प्रेमी उपस्थित थे जिनमें नवीन कुमार जग्गी, मोहन सिंह, संजीव सिंह, कमल सेठ, रामकृष्ण अग्रवाल, रूपचंद, अजय समीर, नीरज शर्मा, रितु बिसारिया सक्सेना, आनंद मोय बनर्जी, सुनीता लांबा, प्रकाश चांदवडकर, कविता राजपूत आदि उपस्थित थे। 

प्रकृति, कल्पना और मानवीय आकांक्षाओं को केंद्र में रखकर बनाई गई ये कृतियाँ दर्शकों को एक बहुस्तरीय संसार में ले जाती हैं। कहीं प्रकृति के सूक्ष्म रंगों का विस्तार है, तो कहीं मानवीय भावनाओं की गहरी परतें। प्रत्येक पेंटिंग अपने आप में एक संपूर्ण कथानक प्रस्तुत करती है—मानो रंग और रेखाएँ मिलकर कोई मौन कहानी कह रही हों।

आकृतियों की प्रधानता के बावजूद कलाकार ने अमूर्तन का सशक्त प्रयोग किया है, जिससे रचनाओं में प्रतीकात्मकता और व्याख्यात्मक विस्तार दोनों जुड़ जाते हैं। कुछ पेंटिंग्स में ड्राइंग का अत्यंत सुंदर संयोजन दिखाई देता है, जो उनकी रेखांकन क्षमता और संरचना-बोध को उजागर करता है। समग्र रूप से यह प्रदर्शनी न केवल दृश्य आनंद देती है, बल्कि दर्शकों को विचार और अनुभूति के स्तर पर भी सक्रिय करती है।

Between Surface and Depth : Exhibition by Bharati Verma and Ruchi Chadha

Review / Dr Ved Prakash Bhardwaj

From 3 to 9 March 2026, the prestigious Jehangir Art Gallery will host Between Surface and Depth, a two-person exhibition by Delhi-based contemporary artists Bharati Verma and Ruchi Chadha. With artistic practices spanning nearly three decades, both artists have cultivated distinct yet philosophically resonant visual languages. Their works explore human experience, the philosophy of nature, and the layered dimensions of existence through deeply contemplative painterly approaches.

The exhibition title is not merely metaphorical; it articulates the shared conceptual ground of their practices. Surface and depth—form and formlessness—visibility and invisibility—these dualities structure the curatorial premise. Between these polarities unfolds the continuous movement of life itself.

Painting by Ruchi Chadha

Painting by Bharti Verma

                                                    

Nature appears expansive and open in its outward manifestation, yet inwardly it is layered and enigmatic. The same dynamic shapes human existence. The human being—man or woman—inhabits multiple strata, negotiating constantly between social frameworks and interior consciousness. This interplay between the visible and the concealed finds compelling expression in the distinct artistic vocabularies of the two artists.

Through the imagery of the lotus and the submerged aquatic world, Ruchi Chadha explores the philosophical unfolding of life. Through symbolic renderings of the human body, Bharati Verma reveals the interior landscape of inner experience. Together, their works create a dialogue between external nature and internal truth.

Painting by Bharti Verma

The Inner Geography of the human

In Bharati Verma’s paintings, the human figures occupy a central presence—yet not in a literal or portrait-like manner. The human body appears as a symbolic structure rather than a descriptive form. Faces are frequently absent, veiled, or indistinct. This erasure is not a stylistic gesture alone; it reflects a social condition.

Painting by Bharti Verma

In many contexts, a human’s independent identity remains circumscribed by prescribed roles and inherited expectations. The obscured face becomes a metaphor for a presence simultaneously visible and erased. The curvature and torsion of bodies in her compositions suggest psychological and social burdens rather than mere physical movement. Bent and interwoven, these forms evoke compressed emotion—bodies bearing the weight of lived experience.

Painting by Bharti Verma

Her figures rarely exist in isolation. They appear intertwined, overlapping, and merging into one another. This visual interlacing signals shared experience. Human struggle, though deeply personal, is also collective. Through bodies that support, lean into, and dissolve within one another, individuality expands into a broader social condition.

Painting by Bharti Verma

Her restrained palette—dominated by greys, deep blacks, and mineral blues—intensifies the emotional atmosphere. The monochromatic tonality creates a sense of silence and gravity. Layers of pigment and textured surfaces render the canvas enigmatic, almost puzzle-like. The viewer is offered no immediate interpretive key; engagement demands patience and introspection.

Ultimately, these works transcend depiction. They function as threshold spaces—sites where memory, endurance, vulnerability, and self-inquiry converge. The body moves beyond fixed gender identity to become a vessel of shared human experience.

Painting by Ruchi Chadha

Water, Life, and the Will to Bloom

In Ruchi Chadha’s practice, the lotus serves as a central motif, yet it extends beyond its traditional associations with purity and spiritual awakening. Rather than emphasising only the blossom that rises above water, she directs attention to the unseen world beneath the surface.

Painting by Ruchi Chadha

Her canvases reveal submerged stems, aquatic plants, fish, and the diffused luminosity of underwater space. In certain compositions, the lotus appears to bloom within the water itself, subtly inverting conventional spatial expectations. This inversion offers a profound insight: growth is not solely an upward ascent; it is equally a descent into inner depth.

Painting by Ruchi Chadha

The half-bloomed lotus carries as much meaning as the fully opened flower. The former suggests potential, becoming, and anticipation; the latter conveys fulfilment and confidence. Through this duality, the artist underscores life as a continuous process rather than a fixed culmination.

Painting by Ruchi Chadha

The aquatic elements in her paintings are not ornamental. They constitute an ecological network that sustains the lotus. Beauty, she intimates, does not emerge in isolation; it arises through invisible interdependencies. This vision resonates strongly with contemporary ecological consciousness, positioning nature as an interconnected web of coexistence.

Painting by Ruchi Chadha

Light and shadow further amplify the philosophical dimension. The muted depths below and the relative luminosity above construct a visual metaphor for consciousness—an ascent from obscurity toward illumination. The upward movement of the lotus stem becomes a quiet emblem of resilience and self-transcendence.

Painting by Ruchi Chadha

Thus, her lotus-centred works move beyond aesthetic celebration to articulate a meditation on interconnectedness, perseverance, and the journey from darkness toward light.

Painting by Bharti Verma

A Dialogue Between Surface and Depth

Viewed together, these two artistic visions reveal a compelling parallel. One renders life’s philosophy through aquatic depth; the other charts emotional and existential terrain through the symbolic body. In one, the lotus rises from shadow toward illumination; in the other, silent figures search for identity within obscurity.

Painting by Ruchi Chadha

In both practices, the visible surface unfolds into an interior landscape. Form gradually dissolves into essence; silence acquires voice; beauty carries within it struggle.

The dialogue between surface and depth—outer nature and inner consciousness—defines the curatorial spirit of this exhibition. Art here is not merely an object of sight but a medium of reflection—an invitation to perceive life in its fullness, complexity, and quiet resilience.

 

Between Gesture and Silence

Analysis/ Dr Ved Prakash Bhardwaj

Rajendra Kadia explores the quiet tension between revelation and concealment. Every face speaks, yet it often hides more than it discloses. In his paintings, faces appear—but rarely in their entirety. They emerge as fragments, partially obscured, interrupted, or withheld. Through this deliberate incompleteness, Kadia reflects on the layered nature of human personality. Identity, in his work, is never fully accessible; it remains shifting and unresolved. The absence of the whole becomes a metaphor for the human condition itself—our instinct to guard certain truths, to reveal selectively, and to withhold what lies beneath the surface. His fragmented faces remind us that what we see is never the full story. Beneath every visible expression exists a deeper, unspoken narrative—complex, private, and profoundly human?

Forceful, assertive lines combined with the fluid movement of black ink and colour generate enigmatic images on canvas and paper in the work of senior artist Rajendra Kadia. His visual language emerges from instinct and spontaneity, where drawing becomes a meditative, intuitive act rather than a premeditated construction. Often beginning with a single impulsive line, he allows it to travel freely across the surface. As the line evolves, it gradually gives rise to an image that remains deliberately ambiguous—resisting immediate identification and inviting sustained engagement.

He works primarily with acrylic and ink on paper. He first wets the surface—whether paper or canvas—then permits colour and ink to flow organically. He rarely relies on a conventional brush; instead, pieces of wood or thick paper serve as his tools. Through this unconventional approach, he produces lines of varied density and texture, allowing ink and water to merge into translucent layers that breathe within the composition.

Within this process, countless unknown forms begin to surface—as though the painting itself determines its final shape. Abstract faces frequently emerge. Each possesses a distinct identity, yet this identity does not reside in anatomical structure but in emotional presence. The faces seem to hold moods rather than features.

At times, these forms carry architectural echoes; elsewhere, they suggest the rugged density of a forest. In some works, aspiration appears to grow like untamed grass; in others, a river seems to murmur through rhythmic movement. A profound poetic sensibility pervades his practice—one that resists easy articulation. It is perhaps this quiet intensity that makes his seemingly minimal compositions unexpectedly challenging experiences.

The emerging forms may resemble a human visage, a fragmented landscape, or remnants of architectural ruins dissolving across time and space. These shifting images exist in a continual state of transformation, oscillating between recognition and abstraction. Impermanence becomes central to Rajendra Kadia’s practice, reflecting both the fragility of memory and the constant flux of lived experience. His compositions resist fixed narratives, instead encouraging viewers to project their own associations and emotional histories onto the surface.

Black remains his dominant medium—embraced not as the absence of colour but as a field of depth and resonance. In his hands, black unfolds into a spectrum of tonal variation, ranging from dense, commanding strokes to fragile, nearly vanishing traces. This restrained palette heightens emotional intensity, ensuring that every gesture carries psychological weight. The monochromatic language lends his work a timeless quality, stripping away distraction and directing attention toward line, rhythm, and interior tension.

Beyond their visual impact, Rajendra Kadia’s works function as psychological terrains. They articulate inner states rather than external realities—capturing contemplation, solitude, unease, and introspection. The layered surfaces seem to hold accumulated memory, touching upon vulnerability and existential reflection. His images do not provide resolution; instead, they remain open, mirroring life’s inherent ambiguity.

Through decades of sustained practice, Rajendra Kadia has cultivated a distinctive visual language that balances discipline with freedom and structure with accident. By dissolving the boundary between abstraction and representation, he invites viewers into an intimate dialogue—one that unfolds gradually, revealing meaning through silence, suggestion, and the subtle cadence of the line.

Delhi Art Gallery's Photography Show : Typecasting of time and society

Review / Dr Ved Prakash Bhardwaj 

Photography has long been an essential tool for documenting human life and preserving moments that later acquire historical significance. The Delhi Art Gallery's "Typecasting" exhibition, shown at Bikaner House in Delhi, offers an authentic document of life during that period. Bringing together photographs from 1855 to 1920, the exhibition undoubtedly offers a rare visual history of India's diverse communities under British rule. However, the exhibition also raises several questions. One question is what the photographers and the authorities of the time were trying to convey by depicting such communities, especially the lives of tribal people or those working at the lower levels. It seems that these photographs reflected the colonial policies of the British rulers, which sought to justify India's exploitation by portraying India as backward to the world. In this context, it is noteworthy that many have attempted to prove that British rule was necessary to modernise India. It's unlikely that this exhibition will be analysed from this perspective or that any sociological study will be conducted. Therefore, it shouldn't be surprising if it ends up being merely documentary evidence.

In any case, the exhibition itself spans a wide geographical range: photographs from the Lepcha and Bhutia tribes of the Northeast to the Afridis of the Northwest Frontier Region and the Toda and Vedda tribal communities of the South Belt. These were accompanied by portraits of talukdars and wealthy Parsi figures, as well as dancing girls, porters, barbers, and snake charmers. Seen together, the photographs paint a distinct sociological picture—an attempt to present a social map of contemporary Indian society through caste, clan, and work types.

However, beyond their ethnographic surface, the photographs reveal the ideological framework within which they were created. Colonial photography often served as a means of controlling power. By dividing communities into visual "types", British colonial policy attempted to portray Indian society as static, hierarchical, and backward. The act of photographing was inseparable from the act of cataloguing—the fixing of identities within rigid visual categories. The exhibition subtly highlighted this aspect, encouraging viewers to recognise photography not simply as documentation but as a political tool.

Over time, the meaning of these photographs has changed. Separated from their original colonial context, they now serve as essential historical documents. Today, they invite critical scrutiny rather than tacit acceptance. Details of clothing, posture, gestures, and atmosphere provide insight into the reality of nineteenth- and early twentieth-century India. The books and printed materials displayed alongside the photographs further strengthened this archival commitment, demonstrating how closely photography was intertwined with publishing, research, and systematic documentation at that time.

From a contemporary aesthetic perspective, many photographs appear structured and rigid. Subjects are often formally posed, sometimes against neutral backgrounds, emphasising clarity and classification rather than spontaneity. In contrast to today's creative photography—which places a premium on experimentation and subjectivity—these early works appear relaxed. Their visual language prioritises legibility over expressive detail.

Yet such restraint must be understood within its historical context. Photographers were frequently guided by ethnographic and administrative objectives rather than artistic ambition. Technological limitations of early photographic processes, combined with the colonial desire for systematic representation, shaped their compositional choices. In several instances, the emphasis on impoverished or marginalised communities suggests an underlying narrative strategy designed to reinforce colonial claims of civilisational superiority. The camera was not neutral; it operated within a discourse that framed difference and destitution as defining characteristics.

At the same time, the images inadvertently preserve moments of dignity and individuality. A fleeting expression, the texture of traditional attire, or the quiet assertiveness of a stance resists complete typification. Contemporary viewers may find themselves drawn less to the colonial taxonomy and more to the human presence that endures within the frame. The very rigidity that once served administrative ends now allows for a meticulous reading of historical detail.

Ultimately, “Typecasting” demonstrated how photographs transform across time. What once functioned as instruments of classification now serve as archives of memory. They reveal not only the diverse lives of Indian communities but also the mindset of a colonial administration that sought to define and regulate them. By revisiting these images within a contemporary gallery context, the exhibition encouraged viewers to engage critically with both the subjects depicted and the structures that shaped their representation.

Not just this exhibition, but all such photography must be viewed and understood from a new perspective. The agenda of our parallel cinema was often to showcase the negative aspects of Indian society, and this continued after independence. Therefore, there should be no doubt that the photographers nurtured by the British rulers took photographs that were exactly what their masters desired. In many cases, the emphasis on poor or marginalised communities is indicative of an internal plan designed to strengthen colonial claims of civilised superiority. Much has been written about these photographs, but most of them treat the photographs as objects, without attempting to examine the reasons behind them.

All photographs are Delhi Art Gallery's property.