Capturing heaven and women

Guess what's common between fashion designer Malini Ramani, art collector Swapan Seth, film actor Sushma Seth, model Kamal Sidhu and social activist Sabrina Lall

They are all subjects of a new body of work, which photographer Bonny Hazuria likes to call 'painted photographs'.


Story of our lives: Sabrina Lall and Malini Ramani

Hazuria started out as a fashion photographer twenty five years ago, to finally make a mark as an art photographer when she made her debut last year in a group show. She talks to MiD-Day about her ongoing exhibition Between Heaven and Earth, God and Prague

What's behind the title of the exhibition?
These are pictures that I have treated to enhance the effects of; it's difficult for people to grasp what exactly I have done as each of the pictures has been treated differently. So 'painted photographs' is an easy to understand description. In some pictures, I have used brushstrokes to give a painterly effect and in some I have used textures and lighting to create an ambience.

Prague seems to have captured your imagination by its beauty, what makes the locales of Prague more fascinating than some other picturesque or historic places in the world?
Visiting Prague was special, as not only is it still standing since the Second World War, rather intact, but also, as you walk through the old town. You can hear the music in the air, as, also, it's known for being one of the more famous western classical music centres of the world. Its has to be experienced first hand, It's like a fairyland.

Freezing a moment or telling a story, what's more important- photographer's skills or the choice of subjects?
Skill is important and needs to be learnt, although it's even more important to have the eye to see.

Do you believe in heaven and hell?
Heaven and hell I don't see as two separate spaces, although its all being experienced here, there's duality in everything, two sides of the same coin. It is the attitude in which we see things, we create our own heaven and hell, or, we can get rid of both, possibly.

You shot people as subjects, what side of their personality you came to know through your work other than of what you already did?
All the three women, I found were women of substance. This is what I felt and how I saw them, regardless of any perceptions.

Your work seems to be inspired by humans and Gods. Are you a religious person?
Being religious is a bit different to believing in the higher truth. As enlightened masters have said, "We are not human beings having spiritual experiences, we are spiritual beings having human experiences," humans are in between heaven and earth, certain instincts pull us to earthly matters and desires. But the deepest pining of humans is to reach the pinnacle of awakening, to attain the highest consciousness represented by 'heaven', whether man is aware of it or not consciously. Only fools think that they know who or what god is, we are all just on a journey trying to find him.

What's in store for future?
With creativity, you can only go with the flow of life... although it would probably be an extention of what is there now...a continuance. I like dabbling with paints also, so maybe there will be more of that.

AT: Habitat Center, Indian habitat centre, lodhi road
on till: february 28
Timings: 11 am to 7 pm