submission for world Pinhole Photography Day ‘MY PHILOSOPHY OF TOILET’

Gallery One Two invites submissions for a curated
Pinhole Photography Exhibition titled

‘MY PHILOSOPHY OF TOILET’

on World Pinhole Photography day
April 29, 2018
Ooty, India

to promote and celebrate the art of Pinhole Photography and to get involved in the global movement of ‘Sanitation for all’, also to raise awareness on the much needed action to combat sanitation crisis

Curator: Madhavan Pillai

We invite Pinhole Photographers, enthusiasts from all over the world to rethink, explore, and reintegrate new experiences of perceiving a small cubicle space called “Toilet” through Pinhole Photography.

For Information: https://galleryonetwo.wordpress.com
Email: 25april2010@gmail.com | Mobile: +91 9487671602

” My philosophy of toilet” – Curators’ Note

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Hidden traces by Sarojini Lewis

 

In the Herrnhut  Archive there are photographs of the Hindu community that migrated from India to Suriname. On lots of these images detailed landscapes and portraits are depicted.

With the combination of my photographs taken in India in Benares and Delhi I try to portray the sentiments and related objects of the migration of people from the Bhojpuri region  taken place in 1863-1910.

The medium of cyanotype fits the concept and has an archival language that mixes the archive with the contemporary.  The process of different tones of blue merges the different places and people into one series of unknown time zones.

Likewise is the print exposed with different timings depending on the sun light and the weather conditions . In way something that also had caused the migration in the first place.

Because of the famine due to dry weather conditions a lot of people migrated from the Bhojpuri migration group. To find more wealth in Suriname.

The text written on the prints are reactions of other artist on the work. The different languages talk about the objects and traces of migration.

In the studio I had the possibility to adapt my pictures into large scale cyanotypes the best result so far was with dimmed sunlight and an exposure time of 45 minutes.

 

The Process: Photography with Stone Lithography

By means, almost rudimentary but exacting technical demands – staggering – lack of time, a humid heat – irresolute stretching heat – there is – photo transfers each experience was different

It was an almost rudimentary process involved but very exacting technically. There were many many constraints; that of time, a dense humid heat, tight finances.

I had to go by whatever I could do within a very short time and I was gasping with the effort because stone, by nature, is exquisitely sensitive and subtle and there are many twists and turns. By the time, this small little series was over I was aching and exhausted.

The experience was different with each photo transfer.

The transfer was done upon stone with benzene carefully so that the ink does not smudge scatter or stay located in one area. It should preferably be done by hand not passed through the press and the photograph in question should be continuous tone. It is said that stone cannot reproduce the range of tones that photographic emulsion can but there have been conflicting results.

The transfer should dry thoroughly upon the stone and then drawn upon with crayon and pencil so that it can latch onto the ink when ready for print. The image should not be etched with nitric acid as the ink is very very thin and etching will erase whatever little image that one can get as final print.

Drawing upon the photographic image can be quite a trick with touches to add here and there and it takes quite many learnings and undoings. I had to go through each work quite a number of times and improvise as and when it was needed.

Nonetheless, I enjoyed the whole process and am glad I went through the grind and confusion of doing it by hand. Am happy of this small little story has come about “Nainital Upon Stone” – and would like to go back to the story again.

Urmimala

ANALOG POWER 1 By Santanu Chakraborty

Tags

#Black and White film

ANALOG POWER 1

By

Santanu Chakraborty

New Delhi , Jan 16th and 17th, 2016

Timing -10 am to 4 pm

Venue: shaidul ajab ( near Saket metro )

A workshop on

The Art and Science of

Black and White film photography

The workshop will focus on teaching the usage of Analogue cameras and developing black and white film; conveying the full power of the classical medium to the students. The hands-on aspect of the workshop will be comprehensive instruction in film developing to a high standard under tropical / Indian conditions at home with minimal equipment.

• An introduction to the full range of analogue cameras. From 35mm to 4×5 sheet film large format view cameras.
• Ability to develop own films to suit individual aesthetic vision.
• Understanding of the nuances of present day analogue technology to produce superior images.
• Digital technologies have great advantages but most digital cameras produce their original images in color and have very limited dynamic range. It’s always better to have an understanding in analogue, particularly for those who are interested in the experiencing classical B/W so as to strengthen their knowledge in the world of photography. The look produced by classical Black and White photography remains unique to this day.
• The workshop is unique in the sense of blending mentorship, study of the history, theoretical concepts and guided experience.

Topics to be covered during the workshop, over two weekend days:

The primary goal of this first workshop is to have you developing 35mm film to a very high standard at home in India to the highest standard.

We will, depending on time and individual interests of the participants aim to cover the following topics.

1. Why Analogue?
2.  The Creative process: Tailoring your technique to your vision
3. The Nature of Film and its response to light
4. Response of Black and White Film to Colored light
   1. Understanding the Use of Filters
   2. Reading Film Curves and Fine Tuning Exposure
5. The Development Process
   1. Developing at home: Preparing classic developers and reagents at home
   2. Developing under tropical conditions with minimal equipment
   3. Troubleshooting and Quality control for Indian conditions
6. Concepts of the Zone System
7. Archival processing of films and storage
8. A survey of analogue equipment : from 35mm to Large Formats
   1. Pros Cons and Salient Features of Various Systems.

The students will take away a powerful set of ideas and techniques that will make their work stand out from the crowd.  Workshop focuses on not just the methods of classical Black and White work but also the principles behind these methods empowering students to formulate their own processes and developers.

About the Instructor: Santanu Chakraborty

• Trained as a painter since childhood until it came time to go to college when for the sake of family honor he was arm, leg and neck twisted to go study engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology in Bombay.
• Continued the Black and White work that had begun when growing up in Dehradun. At IIT, a college darkroom providing the first magical experience of images floating out of water.
• After completing engineering studied Molecular Biology and Neuroscience at Columbia University, Princeton University and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in the United States eventually earning a Doctorate. Don’t ask him why.
• The proximity to New York was influential in exposing him to a tremendous amount of Visual work – photography, painting and sculpture. And he also took a course in printing at the ICP and a black and white workshop with master printer Jim Megargee. Jim has printed for a who’s who of diversemasters – from Annie Leibovitz to James Nachtwey – and his brief influence brought in a level of observation and discipline which has been a prolonged influence in subsequent reading of black and white technique.
• In 2009 he decided to return and pursue long term photographic projects in India.
• His work from Kolkata has been shown in solo shows at the Jehangir Art Gallery and the National Center for Performing Arts, both in Mumbai. He continues to work on his own projects in Calcutta and the Himalayas as well as teaches workshops on black and white work around the country. Past workshops have included independently organized affairs in Bangalore and Kolkata. And also ones by invitation at the National Gallery of Modern Art in Bangalore, the UNBOX festival in Delhi and at Drik India in Kolkata.
• Between personal work and workshops, he also writes a science column for the Bangalore Mirror and occasionally consult for various organizations to help keep the landlord at bay.
• And continues to see life in Black and White.

MY VILLAGE IS GOING TO ABANDONED(परती हो रहल बा हमार गॉंव )

Tags

woodcut print

 

“परती हो रहल बा हमार गॉंव”

 MY VILLAGE IS GOING TO  ABANDONED

This is Happy New Year Eve ,In side my studio I am thinking about Farmers in Bihar or India . After New Government in Bihar the Crime is rising his  bloody eyes .
Listing experience of Umesh through his words
“परती हो रहल बा हमार गॉंव”(MY VILLAGE IS GOING TO ABANDONED)
Try to look inside the Villages where we all are running for Nothing , How Beautiful our Village but we are leaving for shake of Money and Bread ” my father was Farmer but due to lack of facility.He not able to continue his farming .He give up ,Now he is just a Labour in Metro city where there is concrete aesthetics is driving his Innocence .I feel sorrow when I looked at the scene of abandoned villages in Bihar .

गॉंव की सहजता मन को आक्रशीत करती रहती हैं , उमेश कुमार अपने अनुभव को बड़े सहज तरीके से व्यक्त करता हैं ,

BHU में 3^rd  year  मे  प्रिंटमेकिंग बड़े तन्नमयता से करते हैं और  इनकी जिज्ञासा एक प्रिंट मेकिंग से जुड़े मध्मो को शिखने मे हैं।  उमेश को स्याह घर में १५ दिनों के दौरान किस प्रकार वे अपने को और तराशते हैं ! अन्य अल्टरनेटिव फोटोग्राफी   के  माध्यम से !

उमेश के शब्दों में उसके गांव का बयां

 

  मेरा  नाम  उमेश सिंह , मैं बिहार राज्य  के भोजपुर (आरा) जिला के कुरमुरी गाँव का रहने वाला हूँ!  मेरे  पिताजी  एक छोटे किसान थे और मै भी बचपन से लेकर १५ -१६ साल  का था तब तक गांव के सरकारी  स्कुल  मे पढाई के साथ साथ खेती बारी मे पिता का सहयोग किया करता था  पिता के साथ खेती करने के कारण मैं एक छोटे किसानो की होने वाले समस्या से वाकिफ हूँ ,  हमारे समकालीनता  सामाजिक  अवस्था मे किसानो की समस्या  और मूल आवश्यक्ता की पूर्ति  नहीं हो पाती जिससे  वे अपने जीविका  के लिए  अन्य  कार्य  करने  के लिए मजबूर  हो रहे  है और शहरों की  तरफ पलायन  या जीवन यापन  के लिए गॉंव छोड़ रहे  है,  जिसमे से मेरे पिता भी  किसानी  छोड़  जीविका  के तलाश  में महानगर पहुचें . इस तरह समाज मे जो परिवर्तन हो रहा  है आज के समय  हमारे गावं  की स्थिति   कैसे  बदल रहा  हैं  कितना सुन्दर गावं को छोड़ कर  लोग शहर की ओर भाग रहे हैं.  समाज के संगठन  के अंदर जो बदलाव हो रहा  है और ग्रामीण राजनीती , जो ग्रामीण परिवेश को तबाह कर रही  है और धीरे-धीरे  हमारी जीवन संस्कार   रीती-रिवाज सब समापत हो रहा है  और आपसी मनमुटाव हो रही है ये सब चीजे  हमको  ठेस पहुचाती .

इन परिदृश्य को मैं सहज तरीके से अभिव्यक्त करने के लिए उपयुक्त माघ्यम कि तलास कर रहा ह्.  उनके  दैनिक जीवन से जुड़े क्रिया और खेती  से   जुड़े  कार्य  पद्धति  को  जब  मै देखता  हूँ तो स्वयं में  एक कला कृति  और गॉव की स्थिति एक नाटक की तरह नजर आती  है इन  सब घटनाओ  अपने माधयम छापा कला  और रेखांकन के  जरिये सौंदर्य भाव और अभाव दोनों को अभिवक्त्य करता हूँ

स्याह-घर मे आने के बाद मैने जो प्रिन्ट पद्दति देखा उन पद्दति को मै अपने कार्य मे प्रयोग करना चाहता हूं

 

The sweet Nightingale voice upon lime Stone

When , I first met Urmimala in GOA CAP residency in 2013. Her soft voice always seems  like song .but she is very  hard working and determined person . Her practice in Image making is not only limited in photography medium , now she did one year print making course in Santiniketan, she use photography images  in Lithography process , Lithography is  very laborious and hard working process of Print making

Here idea

Nainital Upon Stone

Photography with Stone Lithography

A small little first attempt at the intersection points between photography and printmaking that creates a new visual imagery. Ahead of the gum prints, this is a small little series held dear.

It is of a time and a place – of an evocativeness of the place –the memories the journey thereon. To hold on to a time – an experience of a time in stone; stone that I revere and have a deep affinity for. It intrigues and enchants as to how monochrome work upon stone has the deep hush of monochrome photography. It intrigued me to transfer photographs – my own – upon stone and to work upon to create and recreate and transmute a small little story. A visual language of characters and of a place that reaches and for which there are obscure yearning more beyond that I can express.

Urmimala

December 19, 2015

 

Propounded journey with replaced objects

Tags

ambrotypes, cyanotype, Dark sift, Pin hole, slatprint

Work of sarojni Lewis

Sarojni and Jyoti come with the idea of working together in Syah-Ghar “स्याह-घर”. Try to make some images withC41process as well with pin hole 12MM FILM,  with few more alternatively printing process.    Jyoti is printmaker and research scholar in JNU as well Sarojni to. Ready to paint  darkness  with the dark sift.

WOrk Of jyothedass kv

Here you may find more work of artist in collaboration
Sarojni Lewis
http://www.sarojinilewis.blogspot.in/2015/09/blog-post.html?m=1
B. Ajay sharma
http://www.bajaysharma.wordpress.com

Jythidsaa kv

#c41 #alternativephotography #syahgharfotostudio #pinhole #pinholecamera #saltprints #groupie

Pieces of “Peace” , it not a piece of photo

This is very small piece of work on 18cm X 14cm febriano rosapena . that work is stop motion sequence of 300 photograph in three languages ,it will part of solo show in Instituto Cervantes new Delhi and Basu Foundation of art.
For getting the detail in print I use sizing for paper with gelatin and formalin
Working sensitive information:-
1:10 solution of silver nitrate 0.3ml
Salt 0.3 ml 1:10 working solution
Exposer time 35minit

#solo , #bfafoundation , #spanisart #peace #saltprint #alternativephotography #performance #installationart #syahgharfotostudio #

Glaze of Soile

Bishnu bhurtel ,Now doing intern with syahgharfotostudio. WordPress.com for a month ,learning cyanotype ,salt printing process ,as well he is very keen to work with film medium .
Vishnu Bhurtel finished his master in ceramics from Banarsa Hindu university in 2014.
He know chemistry of glaze making as we temperature .
Hope this practices of image making help him to his journey

Wet plate collodion process. Image maker Kashyap Thimmaraju

Tags

ambrotypes, wet plate collodion

Syah-ghar is initiating and trying to create awareness towards Alternative photography practices. There are very few alternative practitioners in India. Kashyap Thimmaraju is one of them. He is very actively pursuing wet plate collodion process. When I met with him and saw his works I was very amazed to know his practice .Even he is very shy in shearing his work anywhere. On request to Syah-Ghar he agreed to share few wet plate collodion photographs.

Kashyap Thimmaraju is a chemical photographer and computer security engineer. He started making photographs on glass called “ambrotypes” in early 2012 in the city of Bangalore, India. The one of a kind images that are produced by the magical wet plate collodion process drew him towards it. He enjoys making portraits of people using this process due to its slow nature and close interaction with the subject. Landscapes and ruins are other interesting and challenging subjects to him as it takes him out of his studio and into the field using a portable darkroom. He was involved in a documentary film in 2013 with Yogensha Productions called Lapses in Time which has screened in 2 International Film Festivals so far. It is a film about the warped sense of conservation in photography and historical sites prevalent in India today.
copy right by Kashyap Thimmaraju