Time to stand and stare

Art exhibition

On a holiday with her husband in Barcelona, Aruna HarPrasad accidently found herself in the backyard of Salvador Dali. A man came out and started throwing seeds freely in the garden.

She inquired and the man talked of the wondrous ways of nature. He told her he liked his garden wild and offered her some seeds to throw as well, which she did. It was later that she realised she had met Dali himself. Inspired by this incident, HarPrasad also threw wild seeds in her own acre of land in Goa, which grew into a lush, wild and overgrown garden, inspiring her over the years.

It is over 12 years that she has been photographing the magic of nature and her exhibition reflects her eye for detail which she developed over the years scouting locations for films. . “I never use pesticides in my garden. I don’t even shoo away the monkeys in my garden that come and eat the mangoes from the trees. For if I do that how will I ever get to see the magic and wonders of nature?” HarPrasad explains.

The grass in Kas-a-Bebinca, her home and studio is not cut low, so that insects can thrive. Darkling beetle is one of the insects that bores holes in her mango tree wood as well, but she lets them be in her garden, for this is how nature meant it.

The exhibition is a display of the beautiful flora and fauna in this natural garden in Goa. From a rare blooming Brahma Kamal to mating butterflies to moths and spider webs, these photographs take us into a world that is beyond belief. While most of the exhibition focuses on insects, there are a few langurs, telling tales of Kas. It is one of those exhibitions that make one wish for teleportation.

There are photographs like those of the Malabar Peacock Butterfly nested among red petals, creating a wonderful contrast. Series of pictures show different spices of mantis in cinematic poses. There is also a range of caterpillars are showcased. There is also rare moment of a lizard shedding its skin captured among these photographs. It is a real joy to slow down and explore the world of insects.
The exhibition is on till 25th August at India Habitat Centre.