- Convergence exhibition to display photographs of India from two and a half centuries
- Thala: a contemporary dance performance based on Marguerite Duras’ haunting novel – L’Amour
- A Trip to France, exhibition to showcase photos by ParmanandDalwadi
NE NEWS BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, MARCH 24
France and India have always shared cordial relations and at the heart of it lies people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, Jean-Marc Séré-Charlet, Consul General of France in Mumbai said, as he, along with Gaël de Kerguenec, Director, Alliance Françaised’Ahmedabad, launched a series of events in Ahmedabad as part of the fourth edition of Bonjour India, France’s cultural festival in India.
The event, which will celebrate 75 years of India’s Independence as well as establishment of Indo-French diplomatic relations, will showcase 120 events, including dance programmes, photo exhibition, musical concerts and an art festival, in 19 cities of the country over the next two months.
“Every event has been thoughtfully crafted to delight and entertain. In most cases, the programmes are freely accessible to people. Bonjour India rejoices in the centuries-long friendship between the two countries,” Jean-Marc maintained.
Bonjour India will commence in Ahmedabad with the inauguration of three key events – Convergence: Photography’s French connections in India on Thursday, A Trip to France on Friday and the dance performance, S. Thala, on Friday. The elegant dance performance S. Thala is based on Marguerite Duras’ haunting novel L’Amour. The two exhibitions are visual sensations that will delight audiences of all ages and backgrounds. They are intended to foster lively discussions around the centuries-old relationship between India and France by sharing the stories and experiences of those who played a part in reinforcing this relationship. These men and women were intrepid artists, travelers, journalists, photographers, and writers. Their learnings, magical journeys through sometimes uncharted lands, and rich lives serve as the narratives that populate the vast canvas at the two exhibitions.
“The Convergence: Photography’s French connections in India exhibition will be inaugurated on Thursday, at 6:30 pm at the Amdavadni Gufa and will be on view until 2nd April. Visitors to Convergence will see photographs of India taken over two and a half centuries by Indian and French photographers who travelled or lived in India from the mid-19th century till the 1970s. Notable among them are Louis Rousselet, who came to India in the mid-nineteenth century, and Marc Riboud, a French journalist who travelled across Asia in the 1950s. Works by other European masters such as Denis Brihat, Paul Almahsy, and Michel Semeniako who took trips to India from the 1950s until the 1970s will also be showcased,” said curator Rahaab Allana of Alkazi Foundation for the Arts.
Captured in the many photos are the beautiful faces of ordinary Indians going about their lives. Unadulterated by modern influences, the expressions will seem enigmatic to every Indian today. One such photograph is that of a humble woman vending prawns. Another of a parched grain seller, shows a man who despite being indigent, radiates tremendous dignity.
Marc Riboud’s photograph called Scene at the Ghat, taken on the banks of the Ganges in Calcutta, shows people calmly standing or swimming in water as a large ship passes in the backdrop. Another taken on the outskirts of Mumbai shows two people engaged in intense discussion. His images combine poetic appeal and realism, lyricism and rough-readiness.
Some other images showcase the work of the French surgeon-turned-photographer Jean-Baptiste Oscar Mallitte (1829-1905). He arrived in Calcutta from Bordeaux in July 1857, joining a British expedition to the Andaman Islands for purposes of territorial survey. He took the first photographs of the islands, and in 1858 he began teaching as ‘a practical photographer’ at the Calcutta School of Industrial Arts, which had recently introduced photography into the curriculum. Mallitte, like other Indian photographers, including Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh II (1834-1880) earned renown and respect for his albumen prints that were widely exhibited in the photographic societies of Calcutta, Bombay and Madras; in 1862 his works were awarded a prize by the Bengal Photographic Society. He remained in India for the rest of his life and was buried in Calcutta, almost fifty years after his arrival. His photographs include a group portrait of young boys working with metal and another outdoor scene showing men making a wooden carriage wheel.
The Trip to France exhibition, commencing on Friday at 6 pm at Alliance Françaised’ Ahmedabad, will showcase 40 photographs clicked by Parmanand Dalwadi during his visit to France in the 1970s. He visited France during the heyday of disco and boogie. This was a time when men sported long hair and mustaches and women oozed La Mode – life was good. Even the French protesters who were discontent displayed their emotions publicly while donning stylish bell-bottoms, frayed jeans, midi skirts, and other fashionable apparel! Prof. Dalwadi captured the vibrant atmosphere in that country with his Nikon F. In his photographs shines the influence of Henri Cartier-Bresson; the world-renowned photojournalist whom ParmanandDalwadi accompanied during the former’s journey to Northern India in 1965. Prof. Dalwadi will be present at the inauguration of the exhibition in Ahmedabad.
S. Thala is a dance performance inspired by Marguerite Duras’ novel – L’Amour. The novel tells the story of a man who arrives at the seaside town of S. Thala to abandon his present. Yet there he is reintroduced to his past after meeting a woman to whom he had been engaged twenty years ago as a young man. The woman walks with and is kept watch over by another man. The dance performance captures the interplay between the three through a poetic dance. S. Thala, performed by Annette Leday who has studied Kathakali and western dance, accurately captures the essence of the novel L’Amour by marrying contemporary dance and Indian gestures. Audience members who’ve never read L’Amour will come away from the performance feeling that they know Duras intimately. The performance will commence on Friday at 8:30 pm at the Natarani Amphitheatre.
Speaking about the two exhibitions and the dance performance, Jean-Marc Séré-Charlet, Consul General of France in Mumbai said, “The two exhibitions at Ahmedabad are a visual treat. Each is a potpourri of visuals and perspectives from two or more cultures. The synthesis of these events under the aegis of a single festival means that audiences get to experience something unique and previously unseen. We believe that both these exhibitions can help open visitors’ eyes to another world – one that combines dream-like imagery with a sharp and often humorous tone. Each exhibition can serve as the launching pad of stimulating and fun discussions between groups of friends or family members – whatever be their interests or profession. Similarly, S. Thala, is a delight to the senses. The dance evokes feelings of timelessness interspersed with slight trepidation. It perfectly captures the essence of Marguerite Duras’ book, which means weeks after having watched S. Thala, audiences will still reminisce the visuals from this breathtaking performance.”
“Ahmedabad’s relationship with art dates to well before Indian independence. And since independence, the city’s landscape has been influenced by artists like Ravishankar Raval, Kanubhai Desai, Somalal Shah, Dashrat Patel, Piraji Sagara, Rasiklal Parikh, and MF Husain. Anecdotes about public spaces that served as meeting spots for artists in Ahmedabad are abound. In addition, the city has a centuries old relationship with artisans and artists who thrived under royal patronage. Convergence and A Trip to France remain true to the artistic spirit that has shaped so much in Ahmedabad. These exhibits will showcase extraordinary pictures which have stories that are as rich and varied as the artistic tapestry of Ahmedabad. Visitors to these exhibits will see in the images something they have never seen before, yet their eyes, will be quick to recognize that what they see is fully congruous with the rich artistic heritage of Ahmedabad and India. Also, S. Thala’s delicate, purposeful dance will give audiences a unique take on life and love.” said Gaël de Kerguenec, Director, Alliance Françaised’Ahmedabad.
Gay Prince of Rajpipla Manvendra Singh Gohil, Chairman and Co-founder at Lakshya Trust, said, “City for All?, public art festival to question the role of gender in shaping public places and urban experiences, will be held on April 16 in Ahmedabad to sensitise the public on the problems of transgenders.”
