Quintessentially Paris

The history, architecture and grandeur of Paris have been an inspiration for many artists worldwide. In a series of works titled ‘La Vie A Paris: A Study In Volition’ photographer Rupin Thomas captures the timeless charm of the city while understanding the ever-evolving human nature through its historic references. He uses images as a powerful tool to capture frames which are uniquely authentic.

Talking about his inspiration, Rupin says, “I sat at that famous corner across L’Eglise Saint Germain des Prés, Café de Flore and wondered, was it in this struggle to fight the stark reality of our repetitive and seemingly redundant existence that Jean-Paul Sartre also sat leering into the lives of passersby, drinking a beer, repeatedly coming to the conclusion that ‘we (the French) were never more free than under the German occupation’ ”

The exhibition featuring around 50 works is divided into four parts: landscape, still life studies, solitaire — quiet corner and street art and graffiti. “The graffiti, the iconic museums and corner cafés present the perfect juxtaposition of old and new that makes Paris the perpetually perfect place to visit,” points out Uma Nair, curator of the show. Adding to her point, Rupin says, “These photographs not only capture the present but try to represent the historic events that took place at the particular place. The most striking part is how these photographs capture the existence of the historic sites in their natural setting and how at times we choose to walk away or forget the relevance of a particular architectural site in this modernist world, like a wisp, a poetic intrusion, with the enchantment of everyday life.”

The landscape and the still life series on display capture the change of scenery as the transition from a traditional suburban fabric to a concrete and impersonal suburb. It consists of a series of day and night shots. “Every human addition to the landscape of Paris and the French countryside was done with a certain reductive sensibility which looks to find a way to belong to the picture and not stand out in it. This made capturing landscapes and cityscapes particularly easy and rarely did I struggle to find a ‘picturesque angle’, it was all already built from that perspective,” shares the artist.

In the solitaire series, Rupin captures public benches and tries to showcase their historic relevance and how they have evolved over time. “Before chairs came benches, and by the 19th century benches were a symbol of modern day civic society,” explains Rupin and adds, “Beyond its utilitarian function, a chair or a bench represents wherever it is that mankind chooses to sit to ponder upon the struggle between his conscious and conscientious being.”

In this series, Rupin also has extensively captured the street art scene in Paris and the significance of each motif associated with it. “I was fascinated by the energy of the places that were painted — it made me realise that artists choose between a calm or strong style, and what colours they would use too. The sense of theatrics and understanding of calligraphic styles made them stand apart. You look at the works for days on end and you realise that the environment is a key element in what they produce. I also realised that graffiti offers a freedom that is intangible, it also goes far beyond the artistic context. When you see an abandoned tunnel with an old train route and study the landscape and graffiti that becomes part of the scenario, it’s like being caught in a time warp,” says Rupin.