In Nepal, he continues his project on migration and its consequences. Pernin has previously been published in Scandinavian and European media. He was also exhibited at the Foto8 Summer Show in 2011.[break]
Rohan Thapa is a freelance photographer from Nepal currently based in Valencia, Spain. He’s known for his black and white, high-contrast style of photography. His works cover socio-political issues including human-interest stories. He has previously been published in various publications and magazines in Europe and South-Asia.
The two photographers have collaborated to produce a series of portraits that pursues curiosity, ethnography, and social environment of Ratna Park, one of the very few centrally located public places in Kathmandu.
Through the project, they look to provide an honest and simplistic documentation of everyday life in the Park.
The Week’s Asmita Manandhar met the photographers to know more about their project.
How did the project originate?
Thapa: We met through a photo presentation by photo.circle a month back. It was Lucas who had the idea; he was always fascinated by Ratna Park.
Many times when you’re a local, you miss out on so many things. Ratna Park itself is a very common place that hundreds of people pass by everyday but they miss it. A foreigner came and saw something valuable there and his interest instigated my curiosity too.
Why did you choose Ratna Park?
Pernin: For some strange reasons, Ratna Park was first place I visited in Kathmandu. I got drawn to the place; I had to crawl through a fence to go inside. In Ratna Park, there are so many people congregating in different groups. Everybody, it seemed, ware screaming for attention and anonymity at the same time.
Ratna Park is also fascinating because it’s completely chaotic. There are people coming from different parts of Nepal, you can find people from all 75 districts. Those people have different motives to come to that place. Some are there to earn their livelihood; some are just taking rest, seeking shade from the sun.
It’s a place where people don’t have to consume to be there. Places like malls or cafés, which are growing considerably in Kathmandu, limit the number and class of people coming there. If you don’t have money, if you can’t pay Rs 200 for an ice-cream, you can’t go there.
Thapa: It’s one of the few public places that still remains in the heart of Kathmandu. There were many people telling us that they come there because they don’t have to pay to be there. The way Kathmandu is growing, I don’t see a lot of public spaces.
There are families that go there just for strolls. At the same time, there are vendors, people looking for leisure, prostitutes and pimps. Many people think Ratna Park is a shady place, why go there? But what we saw was very different.
Pernin: People don’t see Ratna Park for what it is. It’s not only associated with nighttime prostitution or crime. Ratna Park is something at five in the morning and it’s completely different at seven in the evening.
Apart from that, it also bears contemporary history when it comes to the politics of Nepal or rallies. For instance, the Blue Diamond Society (BDS) movement was created here.
What was the prime concept for the portrayal of Ratna Park?
Pernin: We have some landscape shots basically conceptualizing what Ranta Park is. And we have individual portraits against a white background. The individuals are telling their own stories and through their stories and portraits, the story of Ratna Park comes out.
Initially, we thought of building a fixed studio inside Ratna Park and dragging people in there. But as the idea progressed gradually, we found it more interesting to take pictures of the people at the place where they were and set up the white screen behind them.
What was the idea behind the white background while taking the portraits?
Pernin: It was to individualize every single person in the park. The stories of the people are obviously associated with Ratna Park but the purpose of the white screen was to break them off the environment and focus on their individual identities.
Thapa: Basically, although it’s a public space, we keep their individual identities intact.
How did the collaboration on this project work for both of you?
Pernin: Being a photographer is a very lonely profession. We spent most of our days alone, doing research and photographing on our own. Even though interacting with people is a must, the actual photographing process is quite lonesome.
Being together with another photographer is interesting because we can discuss every single idea we have. We can jointly decide on the subjects, the way we portray them in a particular way, and so on.What was more interesting was how the pictures came out. Our original idea was similar but it wasn’t this. Neither of us has made this project on our own.
Thapa: It’s always a learning process. I’ve learnt a lot form his photography, and vice versa. So the project was also like a mutual learning process. It was helpful and challenging at the same time.
Pernin: Also, the way we embarked on this project, it couldn’t have been completed alone. Imagine trying to take picture of one person. You have 50 other people tying to get in the frame. People get attracted to you by natural curiosity. It’s tough.
How was the experience of executing a project in Nepal?
Pernin: It was totally different to work in Nepal. It was easier to interact with people. Nepalis seem more open to talks. It’s frustrating at times, too, as you don’t get time alone with a person. And, mainly in Ratna Park, in no way you can spare a half-hour with one individual.
Thapa: Nepalis, by nature, are shy. So it’s realty difficult to make them say what they think. That was the most difficult part.
What inspired you the most when you were working on the project?
Pernin: The variety of people who come to Ratna Park and their use of the same space was what inspired me the most. It’s amazing how you can watch so many lives pass by at the same time inside the park.
Thapa: It would be the contradiction of society for me. The misconception of general people about Ratna Park and what it really holds was what inspired me.
What do you expect from the exhibition?
Pernin: We wanted to exhibit the photographs inside Ratna Park but due to many technical difficulties, we couldn’t carry out the plans. Though the exhibition is taking place at Nepal Art Council, we hope that a wide variety of people will show up. And we hope, people who don’t use Ratna Park will go there and experience it.
Thapa: We hope that it’ll create a social awareness of the importance of parks or public spaces in a growing city like Kathmandu. The bottom-line is that we want people to go there and not just drive by it.
“Ratna Park: A Visual Exploration” will open on Saturday, June 30 at 4 pm at Nepal Art Council, Baber Mahal. The exhibition will run till July 8. Gallery hours are from 11 am to 6pm.
Note: Turn to page 8 & 9 for an exclusive peep.
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