Beyond the chore of existing

Chaotic, surreal, traditional and poignant, life in India is anything but ordinary. Discover your India through Adrian Fisk's Lens

British photographer Adrian Fisk arrived in India in 2003. For seven long years the man through his lenses quietly borrowed the gamut of feeling written on our faces, the exquisiteness of the traditions we have inherited and the chaos and socio-political turmoil we created.

Now the man is returning the favour; letting us peep into his photographs through an on-going exhibition. The untitled exhibition is an opportunity to understand the vast multitude of life in this country we usually look at but seldom look into.

Positives, negatives and greys in between
Fisk spent the 90s documenting the youth counter-culture against the socio-political back drop of environmental protest and anti -globalization in London before moving to India.

The next seven years was a quest of anthropological and political visual analysis of the country. "These 18 photographs range from portraitures to street photography and deal with themes ranging from political, to the surreal and mythical," says Fisk. One aspect of his work is juxtaposition of the different faces of India within a single frame. The duality which is the reality of India.

For example, one of his photographs titled Sea of Prayer shot in Kashmir depicts the faith and devotion of hundreds of muslims praying peacefully at Idgah. But probe further and you'll find it was captured during one of the largest political protest in the state, during a very politically volatile moment. Another photograph titled NH8, captured in Gurgoan shows a curving flyover, the epitome of progress and upward movement. But below the example of development in the call center capital of India sleeps an Indian who is static and not in motion.

Going global
Youth has been a strong recurring theme in Fisk's works. Ispeak India and Ispeak China, was a photo series Fisk undertook trying to capture the dreams and aspirations of young people in the two Asian countries.

The political, cultural and economical upheavals the two Asian giants are undergoing reflect in the dreams and desires of the youths. The present photo exhibition has residue of those encounters. "I realized the youth in China is concerned about its child policy, migrant labour and western perception, while the Indians are dwelling upon themes like corruption, role of society and religion," says Fisk.

On till: February 20
At: Moon River, D-16 Defence Colony, New Delhi.
Timings: 11am to 7 pm