JOIN USDuring his travels, city-based photographer Nitin Gera developed a fascination for ice, forms in which he says are like frozen matrices of the interplay of natural elements.
“I was in Ladakh once during the months of August-September and saw icicles in the shape of stalagmites (pointed piece of rock that sticks up from the floor of a cave) and stalactite (tapering structure hanging like an icicle from the roof of a cave). The natural beauty of the form just caught my eye,” says the artist, whose solo show of fine art photography is currently on display in the city.
Titled ‘Icethetics’, the self-curated show features photographs that Gera has composed with the specific aesthetic intent to capture forms in ice, which he says inspires his imagination. The images reflect the various forms in ice, the play of light with ice, and the intricate detailing of his subject. He adds that the images were clicked in Iceland and areas around it during severe winters.
“I am drawn to ice as a subject for two reasons – the visual appeal of the crystalline form itself and the unique natural conditions that shape it. If you look closely, you can see a city under a frozen lake. There is a different world there. The way the lines intersect, the structure – everything is so intriguing,” he tells Metrolife, adding at nature at its extreme serves as a muse for him.
He says that such forms are mostly found in desolate places, where his subjects may acquire varied personalities at different times and places.
“Simply put, a blade of grass can give you different structures depending on the conditions it is in. Depending on their placement, it could turn into frost flowers or bulbs covered in icy-sheath,” he says.
But isn’t difficult to capture ice in all its splendour? “Yes, it is very difficult to click ice, especially if you want to highlight the intricate detailing of the form. In such cases, you have to go up close to photograph. Also, there is no scope for night time shots; sunlight plays an essential role,” he says.
The show is on at Triveni Gallery, Triveni Kala Sangam, until February 24.