International photography collective Magnums ongoing exhibition in the Capital showcases 56 India-centric works by eight artists. Theres a stark sense of familiarity in the pictures. A little boy with big,round eyes,who looks up defiantly,his face smeared with the blood red Holi colour. A peaceful shikara standing amid fog on Srinagars Dal Lake. Besides,there are glimpses of regal palaces as well as Indias rugged underbelly. All these might well be considered as visual clichés of India,except that they are not. These photographs are the works of worlds most sought-after photographers,who are part of international photographic cooperative Magnum Photos ongoing exhibition in the Capital. Titled Magnum Ke Tasveer,Magnums Vision of India,the show that has 56 photographs on display,opened at Gallery Art Motif on Saturday. Founded in 1947 by four pioneering photographers Robert Capa,Henri Cartier-Bresson,George Rodger and David Chim Seymour Magnum was essentially created in the throes of World War II by them to reflect their independent natures as both people and photographers. Since then,several members of the community have come to India and documented the country,with some even deciding to live here. It must be noted that Magnums engagement with India began in its early years,with founder member Henri Cartier-Bressons famous photographs of the last days and funeral of Gandhi in 1948, states Sophie Wright,Cultural and Print Room Director,Magnum Photos London. The exhibition has been held in collaboration with Tasveer Arts,its second collaboration with Magnum,the first one being a show in 2010 celebrating the golden age of Hollywood. Travelling to the Capital after its first leg in Mumbai last month,the exhibition comprises eight photographers who have brought seven works each. Raghu Rai,the only Indian member,has his photographs on display that were shot between 1988 and 2010. From the rich,colourful visuals of holy men and devotees in works such as Devotees at Tirupath Temple,Thirumala (2010) and Rituals of Ghat,Varanasi (2000),to a striking picture of an akhara in Paharganj,titled Wrestlers through the painted gate (2009),Rais works are part of his general collection on India. The curators have selected these works and some of them have previously featured in my retrospective in London in 2002, says Rai. Other photographers include Marilyn Silverstone,Werner Bischof,Ferdinando Scianna,Bruno Barbey,Olivia Arthur,Abbas and Steve McCurry. French photographer Barbey,who is known for his coverage of unrest in Paris,Vietnam,Nigeria and the Middle East,has brought with him some stark images,including one shot during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in 1980. On the other hand,American photographer Silverstone has brought in her portraits of the Indian society,including a 1962 black-and-white picture of Jacqueline Kennedy and her sister Princess Lee Radziwill returning from Udaipurs Lake Palace Hotel. We wanted to focus on the more cohesive and thoughtful series that the agencys members have produced over the years, says co-curator Nathaniel Gaskell of Tasveer Arts,adding,It also showcases the changing styles and concerns of photojournalists over the years. The show will travel to Bengaluru,Ahmedabad and Kolkata next year. Magnum Ke Tasveer,Magnums Vision of India is on at Gallery Art Motif,Lado Sarai,till September 25,from 11 am to 6 pm. With inputs from Zaira Arslan
