- Kerala Tourism’s all-India photo exhibition opens at Hutheesing Visual Arts Centre
- Dr Mallika Sarabhai inaugurates show featuring 100 evocative frames by 10 leading photographers
- Exhibition goes beyond travel imagery to capture memory, movement and lived culture
- Curated by Uma Nair, with Balan Madhavan as Director of Photography
- Lenscape Kerala to tour eight Indian cities after Ahmedabad showcase
GOWRI MANICKAVASAGAM
AHMEDABAD, FEB 3
In an immersive confluence of art, travel and cultural memory, Kerala Tourism today unveiled Lenscape Kerala, its landmark all-India photo exhibition, at the Hutheesing Visual Arts Centre in Ahmedabad—inviting viewers to experience ‘God’s Own Country’ through a deeply artistic and contemplative lens.
The exhibition was inaugurated by renowned classical dancer and Chancellor of Kerala Kalamandalam Deemed to be University for Art and Culture, Dr Mallika Sarabhai. The show presents 100 curated photographs by 10 of India’s leading travel and media photographers, capturing Kerala’s landscapes, people and intangible rhythms beyond the familiar postcard frame.
More than a destination showcase, Lenscape Kerala explores the idea of place as lived experience—where nature, culture, faith, architecture and everyday life dissolve into one visual narrative. From mist-laced hills and dense forests to coastal rituals, festivals and intimate rural moments, the images collectively map Kerala’s emotional and ecological diversity.
The exhibition will remain open in Ahmedabad till February 5, from 11 am to 8 pm.
Speaking at the inauguration, Dr Mallika Sarabhai reflected on what gives photographs their lasting power.
“When you look at a photograph, what is it that draws you in? I think kinetic energy, light and shade and three dimensionals. In dance photography, whether it’s static or whether it’s about to move, if you can capture that feeling when it’s about to jump, I think then you have succeeded,” she said, appreciating the exhibition’s sense of movement and anticipation frozen in time.
In a message marking the occasion, Kerala Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas highlighted the cultural resonance of hosting the exhibition in Gujarat.
“Gujarat and Kerala have strong cultural and economic connections, and visitors from the western states constitute a major segment of tourists to the state,” Riyas said.
The photographers whose works form Lenscape Kerala travelled extensively across the state for five days, exploring diverse themes including wildlife, heritage, spirituality, architecture, rural and coastal life, festivals and everyday human stories. Their journeys during November and December last year culminated in a cohesive visual tapestry that balances scale with intimacy.
The exhibition is curated by eminent art curator and critic Uma Nair, whose curatorial approach foregrounds storytelling and context, while renowned wildlife and conservation photographer Balan Madhavan serves as Director of Photography. Uma Nair led a walkthrough of the exhibition following the inauguration, offering insights into the curatorial vision and visual grammar of the show. A four-minute behind-the-scenes film titled Frame Within a Frame was also screened, revealing the making of the exhibition.
The featured photographers include Aishwarya Sridhar, Amit Pasricha, H Satish, Kounteya Sinha, Manoj Arora, Natasha Kartar Hemrajani, Saibal Das, Saurabh Chatterjee, Shivang Mehta and Umesh Gogna.
Adding an educational dimension, a master class for aspiring photographers will be conducted by participants Natasha Kartar Hemrajani and Umesh Gogna on February 4, from 2 pm to 4 pm, as part of the exhibition programme.
After Ahmedabad, Lenscape Kerala will travel to Mumbai (Feb 12–14), Pune (Feb 18–20), Bengaluru (Feb 27–Mar 1), Chennai (Mar 4–7), Hyderabad (Mar 12–14), Kolkata (Mar 22–24), and conclude its national tour in Surat from March 29 to March 31.
At a time when travellers seek immersive and meaningful experiences, Lenscape Kerala stands out as a cultural bridge—inviting art lovers and culture vultures alike to rediscover Kerala not just as a place to visit, but as a place to feel.
