First-time curators show their prowess in Bombay gallery

Solicited Perspectives is a project in support of first-time young curators spotting even younger talented photographers. The selected applicants (curators) were chosen on the basis of ranking by a panel of eminent personalities.

The chosen curators will present their curatorial project at The Loft gallery at Lower Parel from February to May.

Gallery owner Anupa Mehta says, “There are few curators in India, many homegrown. I, too, never had any formal grounding. A theoretical grounding is important, but aspiring curators also need to be aware of all the other aspects of curation, including the actual hanging of an exhibition. By putting them through a rigorous selection process and thereafter through several rounds of detailing, we hope to have offered them some practical experience. As first-time curators, they are shaping up well.”

City Obscura is the first exhibit in this project curated by Suryanandini Narain and shows us the works of three young photographers — Farah Gherda, Surya Mattu, and Eeshit Narain.

As curator, this is Suryanandini’s first exhibition. She says, “The photographers are between 23 and 25 years and this show has an innovative display with word-image interaction, poetry interspersed with images. There is a lot of general discussion in the art world these days about the role of curator, and this is an experience in what it actually entails.”

The title of the show dwells on the metaphor of the camera obscura, the earliest visual device used to view the city for furthering painterly effort.

The exhibition is on at The Loft till February 26.