I have often scoffed at photography as being second grade to art. But in the right hands, I must confess that the camera does become an extension of the brush and more, for it has the ability to capture every detail to its most minute specification. I must admit that I have had to retract my earlier contention. I stand corrected! I am referring to the recent photography show Four Acts of Love by four artists Sanjay Bhattacharya, Gaurav Bharadwaj, Manoj Kumar and Sanjib Sen.
The show is interesting at many levels for despite being displayed in the same space under one banner, each artist’s work is so distinct from the other that it could well be four independent shows. What binds them together is the silent romance and intimacy that flows through the show in almost a palpable manner. The feel is tender as is the treatment. The monochromatic treatment makes the show worthy of being placed in the realm of high art.
Sanjay Bhattacharya’s ongoing romance with the camera was something that I was willing to wait and watch to see if it survives his first love — painting. He has proved that he can be in love with two mistresses at the same time. For he has made enough strides into his second love to be able to contend with the best. He has used colour in an almost monochromatic manner where the vibrancy of colours doesn’t interfere with the point the artist is trying to make. In places he merges several images into one to create fresh imagery. One particular image of a top shot of bathing buffalos could well be crawling cockroaches but closer inspection reveals the artistry of the imagery.
Gaurav Bharadwaj has done a romantic and passionate film woven together with stills. He describes in a few poetic words: “Still images are fragments of the past. A beautiful moment in time, captured forever. If only the same was possible in real life.” The portrayal is sensitive, lyrical and retains the languid mood throughout. It has a very European feel to it and both the actors bring an element of conversations in silence. This mood of quietitude is sustained in a manner that it makes the film worthy of being sent to any film festival across the world. One image that stands out for its absolute lyricism is droplets of water captured in a tangle of wires.
Manoj Kumar Jain’s love is with the water holding a mirror to the sun, of footprints of time on the ripples of sand and stones as mute witnesses to this drama that unfolds in the vast lap of nature. The dance eternal as the various elements have a dalliance with each other is like a couple engrossed in a waltz oblivious to everything extraneous. The poetic element in his works comes naturally and with inherent simplicity.
One of the most difficult types of human photography are undoubtedly nudes. In the Indian context, the element of bodily shame is very high and prevents many more who might be interested in exploring the genre. Sanjib Sen has been discovering dimensions of nude photography using colour, monochromatic and ground glass to tell his story. His story is that of a lover trying to soar to newer vistas with his love and discover angles in the body that were not thought possible. His camera lingers lovingly, almost like it is caressing the body with a delicate feather so that it unfolds itself to reveal its mysteries.
All in all, the magic of the Four Acts of Love is like a whiff of lavender that gets entangled in gossamer strands of silk and lingers long after one has come away. In this day increasingly fewer artists are focusing on beauty, romance and love, forgetting that the basic tenet of art is beauty.
Alka Raghuvanshi is an art writer, curator and artist