Through the lens,vividly

There is a surreal energy,strong force,an indefinable vigour where the passion to detail is seldom overtaken and here is where Rai captures a feeling,an experience called life. In this exhibition he plays with different elements and textural details to make you transcend far above ground reality with his white,dark and rain-filled clouds among his new works. As he chases the clouds,Rai stops to capture the softness of the grey in the sky as a patch of blue smiles down. The energy of the wind,shadows on the rocks,the shot of the horizon from an airplane — Rai seems to dwell on the wholesome experience,for he wants to surrender with whatever he has. Lamas,people at the Churchgate station,dogs on the beach,the first drop of rain — there’s a play of lines and colours — one that creates a panaroma. “Life is about energy,and the image must live the test of time,” says Rai for whom photography is an internal and individual journey. He walks into situations and seeks a sacred space and merges into the situations,capturing the true essence of it.

For someone who does not believe in having a trademark,change is the only constant and life and nature the inspirations for Rai’s work. “The magic is to see beyond the known,for there is so much to take. The minutest details are what you want to look for,there are so many possibilities nudging you,” says Rai whose exhibition includes the rocks of Hampi in varied forms,in unique moods and in different lights.

All that is pretty and predictable is empty,believes Rai,as he moves on to the streets — traffic at Chawri Bazaar,the tongas,rickshaws,bicycles,and the men,charting their individual journeys of life and work while being oblivious to each other and to their environment. At an artist’s studio,the sculptures merge with the men and women as a part of the process of creating art,be it the models or an artist.

“History can be rewritten,photo history can’t be,” says Rai,whose meaningful contribution is his understanding of capturing a moment in space,which is precisely why he shoots only in India. “India is such a multi-layered experience. The varied cultures,the traditions,the way of living,the variety,which other part of the world can boast of such a unique whole,” he says.

The photographer also takes you to the ghats of Varanasi,among the sadhus and pilgrims at Mahakumbh,the Kali pooja,at a Nihang camp in Punjab — everything rooted in time and yet timeless.

Rai knows that different people have a different way of experiencing and interpreting the world,and he looks at the world through his medium and undergoes life in all its manifestations. “Explore,experience,search,mentally,physically and spiritually,see in totality and let the magic happen,” says Rai.

The exhibition is on at the Punjab Kala Bhavan till March 13.