Visual poetry

Photography is also considered a way of visual poetic expression. But what if each visual is complimented with an actual poem? Young artists Shubhodeep Pal and Akriti Sondhi in their exhibition titled ‘Searching for the Sun’ present a style of art photography distinctive for cutting juxtaposition, languid beauty and visual ambiguity.

The duo through their initiative Indiestani Project experiment and explore ‘poetographic’ as a medium of expression. “We started the project as an experiment to see whether an artform like poetography is accepted or not. We first exhibited this at Kala Ghoda Arts Festival in Mumbai earlier this year and received a positive response,” shares Shubhodeep.

While some artworks had photographs directly linked to the poetry, others were a reflection on the photographs. “We have worked independently in that way. There were times when words have come first and photographs have existed independently,” he explains.

Talking about the show, Akriti says, “We believe that seams exists only if we see them — that looking hard, even through a glass darkly, is a constant attempt at discovering new ways of seeing. Just as the sun — unmoving, yet moving — has been an endless source of fascination for millennia, so have we — to ourselves — been unfathomable. Ultimately, ‘Searching for the Sun’ is a journey within, uncovering, re-discovering, shining light on the many layers that make us who we are. And who we are often not.”

The exhibition explores themes like memory, loss, love, separation and more. “The project is possible only because there was an unconscious connection between our artwork,” says Shubhodeep, who is currently on a sabbatical from his full-time job in Singapore.

He adds, “The show is a culmination of three years of work and many more years of ceaseless fascination with various forms of art. The present body of work focuses primarily around themes of memory, love and discovery, merging words and images seamlessly. Occasionally, it cuts across languages as well.”

Talking about how they connect with each other’s work, Akriti says, “I click whatever around me intrigues me. Anything that is worth capturing can be a part of my frame and Shubhodeep’s poetry captures the unsaid elements and completes the picture.”

Adding to the point Shubhodeep   says, “The monochrome picture of Akriti has a melancholic feel to it. My poetry also signifies a distant longing or cherishing moments from the past. I wanted my art to be approachable and something that is appreciated by every individual who sees it.”

Going forward, the duo wants to reach out to as many viewers as possible. “This project reflects the journey of discovering who we are. We never thought the project would get such good response. Now we are planning to take the exhibition to other parts of the country like Bangalore and Kolkata. Also, we are in the process of self-publishing a book featuring all the works,” concludes Shubhodeep.