FAIR-Y TALES

Working in Rajasthan since 1999,the recipient of the 2011 Grange Prize (Canada’s largest cash award for photography) — Gill learnt of the fair through her association with the local NGO,Urmul Setu Santhan. Over 1,500 girls from 100-odd villages spread across Lunkaransar,Chhattargarh,Churu,Nagaur and Ganganagar were in attendance,and several of them got themselves photographed by Gill.

Each girl returned home with a silver gelatin print of her portrait. In return,they gave Gill an idea — to conduct a photography workshop in the region. “The surge of interest among girls who came to be photographed led me to conceive of a workshop,” says Gill. She spent a fortnight teaching students how to use the camera,process their own film and make black-and-white prints. “I would say most of my students seemed older than their years. They had come to the workshop with some difficulty,having had to work hard to convince their doubting parents,who needed them at home to look after younger siblings or livestock,among their other responsibilities,” says Gill.

Among Gill’s students was also a girl who brought a revolution of sorts in the district. Manju went on to becoming,perhaps,one of the first professional women photographers in the region when she set up her studio in Kaalu village.

“I took photos of mothers,sisters and elders without hesitation,” Manju recalls. Now a mother of two,she notes,“The village folk were astonished.” Marriage in 2008 meant shutting shop,but by then,Shiva Studio had become a landmark and she found a place for the rather nondescript village in the art circuit.

The release of Balika Mela in Delhi on September 15 will be accompanied by an exhibition at Nature Morte gallery from September 15 to 30.

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