Give Into wanderlust: An exhibition of Photographs by Varun Gupta
Wanderlust drives Varun Gupta to disappear with his camera into the mixture of serenity and chaos that is India.
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-- Varun was born to a family of travelers in Calcutta. The holidays of his youth were spent rock-climbing, trekking and pursuing adventureamidst the towering beauty of the Himalayas. As a natural extension ofhis travels, he took to the camera at the age of eight, to document whathe saw. A few hundred rolls of film later, his journey continued througha bachelor degree in Mass Media Communication from College ofWooster in Ohio, a job as an animator in New York, and a diploma in Photography from Light & Life Academy in Ooty; taking to digital photography along the way.Varun now finds himself obsessively looking through his viewfinder at life around him and is always hungry to make images that are able totell stories. While traveling, his minds-eye has adapted itself to a lens,and is constantly watching for the subtle plays of light that can makethe mundane look extraordinary. When it comes to interacting withpeople on his adventures, he finds that projecting an aura of calmhelps him connect with his subject, and enables him to make moretruthful portraits.Varun makes his living as a freelance commercial photographer basedin Chennai. Wanderlust drives him to disappear with his camera intothe mixture of serenity and chaos that is India.
1. What are your current preoccupations about?
My constant urge to document is slowly metamorphosing into a desireto see differently. I strive to look beyond the obvious into the shadowsand reflections. It is a search to capture the truth in its essence, and yetleave the finer details to the imagination.
2. What are you trying to communicate with the visual language youare using?
The fluidity of the photographic medium quite often astounds me. Onecan choose to use the camera in so many different ways to look at somany different things. Yet, the blink of the photographic eye in essencefreezes the continuum of life and records it for posterity. It is thistimeless image that allows us to float into our imagination and connectto our memories and associations.
3. How do you see yourself in the Indian art scenario?
It is a very exciting time to be a photographer in India. People areslowly looking to bring photographs into their living room for both theiraesthetic appeal and investment value. In cities like Delhi, seriouscollectors have begun to make investments into photography, which isvery heartening to see. I know I am young and have a long road aheadof me, but I am committed to the medium and am not going anywherefor a long time, so watch out for me.
Notes to Editor
For More Details Visit the Weavers' Studio Centre for Arts, 94 Ballygunge Place, Kolkata - 700019. The Exhibition is on display from November 4th - 11th 2009 between 10 A.M. AND 7 p.m.
