A lively talk by four photographers – Kishor Kayastha and Bijay Gajmer from Nepal, and Prashant Panjiar and Ravi Agarwal from India – was held at the Council on the following Sunday.[break] The discussion revolved around several topics, from the meanings of photographs and photojournalism in today’s world, to the acceptability of digital enhancement of photographs and printing images in limited editions.
In last week’s Republica Arts, we featured three of the photographers – Dinesh Khanna, Panjiar, and Kayastha. Learn about the other three today. The exhibition is on till September 30 at the Nepal Art Council, Babarmahal.
Laxmi Prasad Ngkhusi, Nepal
Ngkhusi, familiarly known as Lux in the photography fraternity of Kathmandu, has been working with the Kantipur Publications since February 2009. A former fine art student of the Lalit Kala Campus in Kathmandu, he won numerous drawing and painting awards; so 26-year-old Lux’s venture into photography began much later. Lux grabbed the Grand Prize at the 5th Nature Through Lens photography contest organized by the Wildlife Conservation Nepal in 2009.
Photo story: Panuati Makar Mela
Year: 2010
Camera: Canon 5D Mark II
What is it about?
The Makar Mela, one the largest celebrations of Nepal, is observed once in 12 years during the Nepali month of Magh (Jan 15-Feb 15), when the sun enters into Makar from Kumbha as per the solar calendar. The festival is celebrated with much fanfare as pilgrims come to take dips at the Triveni Ghat in the historical city of Panauti, some 32 kilometers southeast of Kathmandu. A bath at the confluence of three rivers – Lilawati, Punyamati, and Rudrawati – is believed to wash away one’s sins and cure diseases. The Makar Mela was observed this year at Panauti.
Who is your favorite photographer and why?
I don’t have any particular favorite photographer.
Ravi Agarwal, India
Agarwal has been photographing for over 30 years. “Ever since my teens,” shared the lensman who is also an environmental activist. The founder director of the Indian environmental non-governmental organization, Toxics Link, Agarwal also works with video and installation art. “It’s easy to take photographs but it’s difficult to be a photographer,” he opined during his presentation at the Nepal Art Council.Photo story: Alien Waters
Year: 2004 – 2006
Cameras: I use any and all kinds of cameras – film, digital as well as video. This includes all formats, 35mm, 6x4.5, 6x7, panoramic, large format (4x5), as well as video.
What is it about?
The works are part of an exploration of a personal landscape in relationship with the river in Delhi, which I’ve seen all my life. The work was more about discovering a personal space than a document about the river. The work was accompanied by a published book, in the form of a diary with writings, reflections and photographs.
What was the most interesting part for you, while working on this photo feature?
The most interesting part was the compulsive visits to the river – Yamuna – over a period of two years. It was like the river was drawing me in, and I felt compelled to engage with it. I hadn’t planned this as a work, but only as a connection, which later became work. During the period, I read many writings on ecology and politics as well as human conditions, which made the period a very rich exploratory one. The final work – The Shroud – was a self-performatory photograph and was the last one I did in that period on the river.
Bijay Gajmer, Nepal
Gajmer, 25, has been taking photographs for the past three years, and is currently working with the Nepal Republic Media. Prior to that, he was working with Nepal Photo Agency. Winner of the Landscape category of Nature Through Lens 4 photography contest organized by Wildlife Conservation Nepal in 2008, Gajmer believes that photojournalism goes beyond capturing images of daily events, rallies and riots, but on developing photo stories because “there is a story even in the most ordinary of things.”Photo story: ´holy´ Bagmati
Year: 2009 – 2010
Cameras: Nikon D300/Nikon D50
What is it about?
When I visited Sundarijal two years back, I was surprised to see the Bagmati so clean. It was the same river that became a big polluted sewage in Kathmandu. The Bagmati, which flows through the city, has a huge cultural, religious and domestic significance. The ‘holy’ river, however, is also known as one of the most polluted rivers. Through my story, I wanted to show the beauty of the river and that we’re responsible for its condition today. It’s an attempt to document the river’s journey from Sundarijal to Chobbar and to show what happens to the holy river of the Bagmati Civilization when it passes through the capital city of Kathmandu.
Where do you see photojournalism in Nepal, five years from now?
Five years from now, I see a good future of Nepali photojournalism, with many new photojournalists with good photos and stories of international standards. I hope photographers will not only be technically sound, but also have aesthetical awareness. I see newspapers understanding the importance of photos and giving good space to them. And perhaps, some Nepali photographers also winning international awards and competitions.
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