World Photography Day: Hyderabad exhibition to highlight works of 44 photographers

Each 12 months in the course of the Bonalu festivities that coincide with the monsoon in Hyderabad, an strange man transforms into Potharaju, a folks deity and soothsayer, his face painted in vivid strokes of turmeric and vermillion. Vedika Bonakurthy’s {photograph} captures these Potharajus within the moments earlier than the Bonalu procession, documenting their act of turning into. Titled ‘Body Before The Spirit’, the picture distills the essence of native tradition.

This {photograph}, together with a number of others, varieties a part of an exhibition curated to mark World Photography Day. Opening on August 19 on the State Art Gallery in Madhapur, the present options landscapes, structure, avenue pictures, and portraits by Hyderabad-based photographers. It is organised by the Hyderabad Centre for Photography in affiliation with the Telangana Government, Telangana Tourism, the State Gallery of Art, and the Indian Photo Festival.

Sudhakarsingh Bondili’s {photograph} Shades of Bagan
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

“We did not want to be bound by a theme. The criteria was strong images that reflect the cultural landscape,” says Aquin Mathews, director of the Indian Photo Festival. From greater than 500 submissions, 44 images from Hyderabad and Telangana have been chosen.

The choice ranges from portraits to architectural landmarks that act as cultural markers. While the photographers hail from Hyderabad and Telangana, their lenses usually wander farther afield, bringing in visible narratives from their travels.

Deepika Daparthy’s picture of the Qutb Shahi Tombs, Hyderabad
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Among the highlights is ‘Echoes of the Past’ by Deepika Daparthi, a black-and-white picture of the Qutb Shahi tombs framed by lush greenery, with domes and arches that talk to the monument’s historic grandeur. Ramdalai Tilak contributes an aerial shot of younger wrestlers coaching at an akhada in Kolhapur, a nod to the area’s thriving kusti custom. Ravi Kumar Saxena’s work turns to the Rann of Kutch, the place a dealer in handmade clothes stands out in opposition to the stark white sands. Meanwhile, Sudhakarsingh Bondili’s ‘Shades of Bagan’ captures the country appeal of Myanmar’s villages set in opposition to the backdrop of historic UNESCO-recognised temples.

The exhibition runs from August 19 to 26 on the State Gallery of Art, Madhapur. Entry is free.