In Pursuit of the Past
The Prince of Photographers Raja Deen Dayal
A nicely printed and designed book about the foremost Indian photographer during the Raj, Raja Deen Dayal. The book covers many of his finest photographs, and the rise and fall of his studio in Hyderabad. With historic documents, advertisements and other memorabilia, written by a historian of Hyderabad.
Visualing Indian Women 1875-1947
A superb book, with close readings of images loaded with history and crisp observations. Karlekar really knows how to decode photographic gestures. The richness of imagery still available, in this case from private collections all over India, is amazing.Read more
Re-visioning the Past: Early Photography in Bengal 1875-1915
While initial chapters recount well known early Indian photographic history, the next ones comprise an intelligent and thought-provoking analysis of photography in Bengal and the role it played in mediating cultural relations between colonizers and the emerging Bengali middle and upper classes.Read more
Dileep Prakash's Memory-Laden Photography
A few nights ago, I had the the chance to see a presentation by one of India's most important contemporary photographers, Dileep Prakash. He has a stunning series of color photographs of Anglo-Indians currently touring Europe's finest galleries. In a few months, a new exhibition opens at Photoink in Delhi. This time his subject is the boarding schools of India in black and white.Read more
otto, otter
s. Or usually 'Otto of Roses,' or by imperfect purists 'Attar of Roses,' an essential oil obtained in India from the petals of the flower,