Experiencing notions of 'Freedom'

Visual Delight

The word ‘Freedom’ is interpreted by different people differently. For some freedom means to live happily and do what they want, for some freedom means no influence from others and for others writing, dancing or any other art form to express themselves means freedom.

Representing the same, Max Mueller Bhavan is hosting ‘Freedom’ photography exhibition which is being curated by Rahaab Allana, editor of Pix. The exhibition showcases works of more than 10 expert photographers who have interpreted freedom in their style via their photos.

“We decided to look at this theme as we wanted to refresh our notions about the implications of Freedom in a political, cultural and personal sphere. In the 21st Century, we are always confronted by notions of identity, secularism and multi-culturalism. What do these mean and how are they communicated through photography. The exhibition therefore represented a fact,” Rahaab told Metrolife.

“We are looking at notion of Freedom in self-conscious and personal ways, and how these manifest a larger discussion on art practices. Photography is only one means of representing it,” he adds.

The photographs represent dimensions of freedom, whether it be rage inside people, violence or the inner urge of a person to be set free. The photographs on display move a step further than just being visual representations, for they enter the philosophical aspect in your mind and evoke a number of thoughts regarding that specific issue.

“The theme for this issue attests all that is embroiled in the search for ‘freedom’: how it critiques itself, bears arms against itself, duplicates and emulates itself, and finds new vistas to explore and invigorate when it is provoked or curtailed. It is as much a right as a reason, a privilege or excuse, as much a latent experience as a doormat for the authoritarian.

How do we evolve and refresh our commitment to it - be the benefactors of true, liberated expression, yet find that the more we search for this notion, the less we will see as its ‘actual’ face?” Rahaab further explains.

The works of different photographers are also accompanied by various texts, which succeed in doing justice to the photographs. Not necessarily being the photographer’s statement, the textual writi­n­gs also include famous fictional masterpieces, which double the intensity of the emotions generated by the pictures.

Major photographers exch­a­nging their thoughts through this exhibition are AM Ahad: Series entitled ‘Border of Impunity’ focuses on the border conflict between India and Bangladesh through a personal history of a family, Enrico Fabian: Series entitled Phas Gaya, about addiction to clinical drugs, Andrea Fernandes: The female body and fetishistic acts performed by them, Sam Harris: series entitled ‘The Routineless Routine’ showing how a family travels in India on the road after giving up a settled existence abroad, Sunny Lamba: the Sarania Community in Gujarat that practices prostitution as its mainstay and many more.