23 October,2009 06:54 AM IST | | Priyanjali Ghose
In his latest exhibition, Prashant Panjiar captures the living conditions of Indians in an era of growth
A building rising above dry shrubs, Mumbai slums or a tall tree with dry branches- all narrating the tale of urbanization. These are photographs, which say nothing but subtly reflect the soul of India.
Presented by Tasveer, independent photographer Prashant Panjiar's latest exhibition called Pan India A shared Habitat, illustrates the effects of modernization on the lives of every Indian, irrespective of their economic and social status. This is Prashant's stint with playing of panoramic images all across India.
The 64-photographs exhibited in this collection poignantly describes the changing lifestyle of Indians at the backdrop of issues like haphazard economic growth, liberalization, urbanization and global warming.
"We Indians are very easily seduced by our own success. We see flyovers, shopping malls but that's just one side of it," says Prashant Panjiar, who has been a photojournalist with leading news magazines. "I wanted to see things from the bottom up. Looking at these photographs, people should understand that we need an intrusive growth involving all people. Thus the concept of shared habitat," adds Panjiar.
He stresses that the idea is to emphasise how the growth should involve and benefit all those who share the habitat and a not any particular individual.
Prashant feels that like his earlier works, these photographs shot on film, portray the lives of ordinary people but this collection is more, "meditative, calmer, quieter and a step back as photographs, where nothing as such is happening but time has stopped". Almost all the images deal with landscapes, urban landscapes and a series of homes and families. Construction works, materials used by workers gives a vivid idea of them as persons even without seeing them in the image.
From inside out
Panjiar says Sanjeev Saith, the curator inspired him to photograph both the inside and outside of various homes as well as families. "These pictures give a sense of contentment taking one from outside to the inside. It gives you an idea of the change happening outside as well as an intimacy of the inside. Thus the idea of a shared habitat becomes clear," feels Prashant.
By contrasting the homes of refugees and urban dwellers, Panjiar successfully brings out the theme of changing habitat and the differences it brings to lifestyle. The images of dry roads as well as serene beaches hint of a transformation through the years.
Probing the mundane
By capturing the air-conditioners, coolers or workers sleeping inside a pipe, Panjiar narrates the story of workers, who migrate and the different aspects of their lives, something, which has always intrigued him.
His most favourite in the collection, however, remains the photograph showing the room of a mechanic with clothes hanging on the wall and a broken steering. "It's a simple picture. But it elevates the worker to a level without identifying any single person. The viewer learns to respect the worker," says Panjiar.
However, Panjiar, admits that the pattern of these photographs was not a conscious effort. Around the year 2000, in between his works, while travelling, Panjiar with his panoramic camera, began clicking anything that struck him and thus took place the birth of this exhibition.
Simple yet significant, Panjiar's collection unfolds the story of every Indian and their thoughts in a country racing towards disproportional growth.
At: The Collection, which is headed to Kolkata next, can be viewed at Gallery Sumukha, Wilson Garden till October 31 from 6 pm to 8 pm.
Call: 2229 2230
