Reflections on the Chitpur Local Fellowship by Srota Dutta
Initially when 'Hamdasti' signaled me a ' go ahead' with my idea on photographs of prospective brides, I was little hesitant. Hesitant because being a non artist, community based art was a completely new genre for me. Previously I worked as a journalist and research assistant. So had solid idea about framing critical question for individuals but getting involved in art practice was a new venture` altogether. Moreover only in recent times have people started to consider photograph as an art form. So other than its commercial value various interpretations and theories behind those pictures are now being discussed. Other than that, photographs are mechanical reproduction of reality. Therefore it involves technicalities. And to be frank I have little idea about it's technicalities.
My project required intimacy. It is more of a personal conversation with the subject (here the women) in the photographs. Along with the basic knowledge on photography, point of views from the other end of the spectrum (that is of photographers) was necessary as well.
When I started to work on my project, building a community of photographers and photographed seemed a distant reality . However constant workshops, sessions of brain storming, reading theoretical texts on photography and history gradually helped shaping issues to focus on.
I have some photos collected from different sources but those were not from Chitpur. While going to that area and reaching out the local studios became a regular routine, collecting photographs and talking to women of that area on issues related to photographs of prospective brides became a major barrier. Finally a breakthrough came when I entered Paul Bari.
My project required intimacy. It is more of a personal conversation with the subject (here the women) in the photographs. Along with the basic knowledge on photography, point of views from the other end of the spectrum (that is of photographers) was necessary as well.
When I started to work on my project, building a community of photographers and photographed seemed a distant reality . However constant workshops, sessions of brain storming, reading theoretical texts on photography and history gradually helped shaping issues to focus on.
I have some photos collected from different sources but those were not from Chitpur. While going to that area and reaching out the local studios became a regular routine, collecting photographs and talking to women of that area on issues related to photographs of prospective brides became a major barrier. Finally a breakthrough came when I entered Paul Bari.
A talk show on 'photography and women' was organised. Issues like, criteria of womens' beauty in society, responsibility of a photographer in conjuring the 'perfect bridability factor' and awoman's own voice in conforming to certain demands and their negotiations with the notion of beauty started to get focused. I could sense the community feeling in sharing stories of humiliation, insecurity and moments of pride amongst women. In return it paved the way for the second talk show. It was 'beauty of a prospective bride and photography'. Here, an old, seasoned and successful photographer of analog camera era, from this area shared his moment of pride in transforming an apparently dark skinned woman into a fair one and thus confirming her acceptability in marriage market. Likewise issues like fair skin, long hair, soft look, questions like why smiles without teeth in photographs were necessary were also raised. While Photographers fraternity emphasised on their responsibility in making women 'ready to get married' more acceptable, men and and women, analysing displayed photographs talked about qualities which made woman acceptable as grilakshmi. Undoubtedly, the word 'grihalakshmi' imposes certain condition that shapes up their personality. Therefore we decided to organise a discussion personality of prospective brides and photography. In that talk show woman's personality as home maker and reflection of that through lenses set the markers of Grihalakshmi. And photographs visually signifying those qualities enhanced the commercial value of a photographers.
As I could see, throughout these talk shows and personal interactions men and women both shared their thoughts and ideas about women as whole and it helped building a kind of shard space where issues related to womens' body, marriage and current notion about womanhood came into being.
These public and personal interactions helped constructing issues to harp on during festival. Meanwhile I decided to use peepshow box as a medium to convey the crux of my search. Many people asked me why this particular medium. Here are the reasons
These public and personal interactions helped constructing issues to harp on during festival. Meanwhile I decided to use peepshow box as a medium to convey the crux of my search. Many people asked me why this particular medium. Here are the reasons
- Peep shows are now obsolete and it can tickle adrenalin of ever nostalgic Kolkattaiyas
- it has a voyeuristic element in it.
- It somewhat blurs the idea of private and public viewing
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During two days festival 'Chitpurer Gappo' I saw how photographs and my performance with peep show brought men and women from local and other localities, men and women from different socio-economic strata together for a moment form a community through their reactions.
Chitpur with its hustles and bustles, filth, narrow golis and sound had returned to its original form after two days of festival but it's effect could be seen in 'Stereoscopic narratives' when an assistant commissioner of police who was a part of the project constructively criticised the endeavour and conversed about bisarjan with local resident from Chitpur. I could see how my apprehensions and thoughts about imaginative community of photographers and photographed was transformed into a larger context. I could sense the community feeling when I saw Hamdasti as a catalyst created a platform where Sunit Chatterji from C. Bros deeply engaged in exchanging business ideas with Amarnath Dawn form Dawn Bari at Beniatola Lane. It gave a me sense of assurance that Hamdasti would be successful in organising many other editions of Chitpur Local and thus building a bridge between local pockets and the larger city through art.
Chitpur with its hustles and bustles, filth, narrow golis and sound had returned to its original form after two days of festival but it's effect could be seen in 'Stereoscopic narratives' when an assistant commissioner of police who was a part of the project constructively criticised the endeavour and conversed about bisarjan with local resident from Chitpur. I could see how my apprehensions and thoughts about imaginative community of photographers and photographed was transformed into a larger context. I could sense the community feeling when I saw Hamdasti as a catalyst created a platform where Sunit Chatterji from C. Bros deeply engaged in exchanging business ideas with Amarnath Dawn form Dawn Bari at Beniatola Lane. It gave a me sense of assurance that Hamdasti would be successful in organising many other editions of Chitpur Local and thus building a bridge between local pockets and the larger city through art.
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