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Portrait of a photographer
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Allan Parker's photographs of people shot in London, Chennai and Bangalore are on show at Forum Art Gallery
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SNAPSHOTS OF A CULTURE A photograph by Allan Parker
London-based Allan Parker, a photographer, designer and filmmaker, visits India often during which he interacts with students, sharing his knowledge and experience in these fields. He says he enjoys these sessions as he finds the students receptive. His current visit covers Chennai and Bangalore.
Sometime ago, there was a mela of sorts held in South London where people from different Asian communities came together to perform and participate in fun-filled events.
Parker was commissioned by The Victoria and Albert Museum to photograph some of these people. The willing ones were photographed in front of colourful screens over four days.
Varied subjects
A similar project was offered to him in India by the V&A Museum. Parker met people from various walks of life in Bangalore and Chennai and invited them to pose for him. Several of the pictures taken in London and the two Indian cities are on show at the Forum Art Gallery. The exhibition is sponsored by the British Council.
Though the portraits appear simple, a lot of effort has gone into it, says Parker; many technicians have helped him in lighting and other arrangements; he himself has gone around to choose the proper backdrops.
One can see people from ethnic backgrounds in his visuals such as a balloon vendor, an old woman who walks around offering to read anyone's palm, a dummy horse dancer, a group of people or members of a family visiting the mela.
The pictures reveal his skill as a portrait photographer. But it is claimed that Parker "has captured the dynamism and diversity of the three vibrant cities." The cities are vibrant and so are the people. But since these pictures are of people who have posed in front of plain screens, there is nothing to show the `vibrancy' of the locales nor do they capture the emotions of the people.
They are supposed to be `Mela Pictures', but where is the mela? The mood of a mela is conspicuous by its absence.
The show is on till January 21 (except Sundays and public holidays).
LAKSHMI VENKATRAMAN
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