A Space in Time

Bhatia adds that he did not want any element of sensationalism.

Written by Parul
October 29, 2013 12:08 AM IST

2 min read

A camera allows you to dream,to focus on things you really like about the time and space you inhabit, says documentary photographer Ajay Bhatia,talking about his ongoing exhibition in the city titled Straight Lines,Open Spaces,The legacy of Le Corbusier. The project has absorbed Bhatia for a couple of years now,and out of the hundreds of photographs that he has taken of Chandigarh,30 are on display. Bhatia,who is also a huge film buff,moved to the city in 1979,and has ever since witnessed the city change in many ways. Through this project,he wants to chronicle the city scape and its essence for the future generations. When I migrated here,Chandigarh was a laidback town. It is now a bustling,energetic city,which has fortunately retained its old-world charm and beauty. The city has the rigid design and beauty of Corbusiers art,but it has also evolved into a metropolis, says Bhatia.

What he sees through the viewfinder include the iconic buildings,gardens,the lake in its various dimensions,trees and roads. Bhatia adds that he did not want any element of sensationalism,so has refrained from using Photoshop,capturing light or any such techniques. The focus on straight lines is to highlight the architecture of the city,sans any curves,or turns,which according to Bhatia,reflects the idiom of work. The open spaces,on the other hand,highlight the context of rest. These photographs are my homage to the beautiful city,which has given me shelter for over three decades now, says Bhatia.