Photography in India: From Archives to Contemporary Practice

(Hardback)

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Photographys prominence in the representation and experience of India in contemporary and historical times has not guaranteed it a position of sustained attention in research and scholarship. For a technology as all pervasive as photography, and a country as colossal as India, this scenario is somewhat of an anomaly.

Photography in India explores elements of the past, present and future of photography in the context of India through speculation and reflection on photography as an artistic, documentary and everyday practice. The perspectives of writers, theorists, curators and artists are selectively brought to bear upon known as well as previously unseen photographic archives, together with changes in photographic practice that have been synchronous with contemporary Indias rapid urban and rural transformation and the technological shift from chemistry and light to programming and algorithms.

Essential reading for anyone interested in Indian photography, this book binds insights into a history of photography with its contemporary development, consolidating wide-ranging thinking on the topic and setting the agenda for future research.

Reviews

"The diversity and cogency of the arguments and experiences examined in each essay make Photography in India a very welcome read for anyone interested in the subject. This collection of essays offers a refreshing, highly engaging contribution that enriches scholarship in the field of Indian photography."

--Visual Studies

"This book is a rich resource for anyone interested in photography in India, especially its use in artistic expression and remediation through archives."

--South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies

"Photography in India is thus a book that surprises with diversity and depth of subject matter, stoking future research interests in various areas."

--Unbound

Author Bio

Aileen Blaney is an educator, writer and researcher with an M.Phil and Ph.D. in Film Studies from Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. At Srishti, Aileen teaches in the PhD program, is Course Leader for the Postgraduate program in Screen Studies and delivers General Studies courses in film, photography and visual theory and criticism at undergraduate level.

Chinar Shah is a photo-based artist from India. She currently is a course leader for Photography at Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology, Bangalore.