Pablo and Homai- Two Photographers

Saturday 26 feb,2011

My students of Dharavi Photography workshop wanted to joine me on gallery round.

this week -there is photos every where.

the RPG show at Janhagir Art Gallery has lots of new media works on display.

I remember VIDYA KAMAT's self portraits and BAIJU PARTHAN ' s 3D image....

I also rember Abir Karmakar's huge portrait of the singing lover (oil on canvas) supported by hindi film songs.

there were big eyes of Sachin Tendulakar too...!

Bose Krishnamachari has scrached his own self portraits on canvas..he is getting iconic figure in art world-

specially after announcing kochi Binale.

well,

talikng about photography-

I went to National gallery of Modern art-to see Homai Vyarawala 's retrospective.

she was there too. on the wheelchair.

she is a very lively human being.

I enjoyed looking at her climbing the stairs of the gallery and the sitting back on the wheel chair.

her pictures are very ordinary..but of vey important polatical happening of the country.

I look at the photos of the people who were taking the command of the country.

look at Gandhi and Nehru. 

no one can miss the Nehru and his closeness to Edvina Mounbaitan.

These images are about history and time.

Polatical people and POWER.

Photograpehers has always being used create the images for the masses.

and many of them  are born to run after the people who are POWERFUL.

I remember thewords of Baiju Parthen in my film BLUR-

'why is history so important to us?' 

Sakshi art Gallery is showing Pablo Bartholomew photographs.

I met Pablo after 2 years.

he came to inaugrate our photography show on Dharavi slums in Kala Ghoda art festival.

I have been seeing his works whenever there is a possibility.

many of his photographs in the current exhibition is new to me.

but what I really loved is his presentation of his slide show..along with his Father's work.

it was the photos of his family and friends are more important to me.

they tell more about the people of the country than shooting any poaltical events.

Pablo has witnessed a great adventure of life. and his photos tell the truth.

just to mention the facts- he was the still photographer for feature film GANDHI and Satyjit Rays 's 

SHATRANJ KE KHILADI.

then just like the way RAGHU RAI followed INDIRA GANDHI, Pablo followed RAJIV GANDHI.

(and both Gandhi's faced the political assassination)

The Rajiv , we know of, is the image created by this man.

Pablo has shot the death of three historical figures of the country.

and the third name in the list is mother terresa.

then there are number of Images of the people who are marginalized.

News papers and magzines are always intrested in the stories.

Stories of the people and events who are strange for the so called NORAML society.

theses are images of suffering.

cyclone, earthquack, bhopal gas tragdey...

sufferings and death... !

we do not remember the jokes.

but the tragdey goes deeper.

so, the photographs makes you sad.

though there are beautifulpictures of NAGA s- I wish to remember this evening.

but the images of the death and sufferings are the need of the market.

they sell. they win prizes...!

there must be some deeper meaning behind all this.

I am amazed by his so big body of work.

what is more important - that he has archived his work along with his fathers too.

This is the first time I am seing the work of Pablo Bartholomew...!

If you get a chance to see his presentation- never miss it.