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Alien waters, but close to the self

Ravi Agarwal's unusual photo exhibition is on in the Capital

In an effort to portray the complex relationship between the self, the city of Delhi and the Yamuna, environmentalist and photographer Ravi Agarwal in collaboration with Youthreach and India International Centre is presenting a unique photo-exhibition beginning at the IIC Annexe Art Gallery.

The collection of photographs titled "Alien Waters" captures the Yamuna -- the beautiful, vital and yet dying water source -- and ecology.

"The collection is a personal journey and relationship with the Yamuna through a series of introspective photographs, other material and a book, `Immersions. Emergence'. The body of work is born out of my recurring visits to the Yamuna as a means of personal reclamation. This soon developed into a connection with the life of and around the Yamuna,'' says Ravi about the river that was once a life-giving artery of the city and is today dirty and filthy.

Speaking about this change in the river, Ravi says: "I have found myself a witness not only to the unbelievably rapid change but also the gross violence in the acts of mass displacement of slum dwellers along the river. This `dying' river has become my Guru, and in the triad of the self, the city and the river, photographs of the river become reclamation of the self, going back to it again and searching endlessly.''

Also, `Immersion. Emergence' is a photo textbook set like a personal diary. It includes over 40 colour pictures, an essay, diary jottings and other readings that formed part of Ravi's engagement with the river over these two years.

The photographs and an archive of materials spanning philosophical texts, jottings, newspaper clippings, reports, information and conversations with people who live on the river are also reflected in the works on display here. The exhibition is open from October 24 to November 1 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. -- Bindu Shajan Perappadan

-- Bindu Shajan Perappadan

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