Artist and activist Ram Rahman finds American photography biased. He shared his thoughts on the evolution of this art. Goter Gangkak took notes
In the past few decades, art as a medium has evolved conveniently with the development in technologies creating a hyper-visual world. The advancement in technique of photography has certainly made it more accessible and presentable. Photo-sharing platforms such as Instagram, Pinterest, Flickr allow any individual with a lens to create art and spread it in a spur of moment. Talking more about the history and culture of photography, NGO Apne Aap organised a discussion titled Terrace Talk with activist and photographer Ram Rahman at India International Centre.
“Many aren’t aware of the history of photography. It’s the shortcoming of inadequate documentation over the years. Books on photography are also very expensive,” said Ram Rahman. According to him, a photographer should have a wide view of all disciplines ranging from history, sociology to political, as it helps them to create a picture in context.” A picture doesn’t always have to be hugely dramatic. An ordinary picture can be filled with dramatic elements,” he believes. A photojournalist, artist, curator, designer and activist, Rahman initially studied Physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and later completed a degree in Graphic Design from Yale University’s School of Art in 1979.
Born in 1955, he has shown his photographs in individual and group shows in India and around the world. During the discussion, he also spoke about cultural movements of art, which were best depicted by pictures. Three such movements discussed in the lecture were futurism, surrealism and modernism. Futurism is an art movement that started in the early 20th century. Futurist photography takes concepts of future like technology, speed, modern, and mechanical etc. Surrealism was a new age form of art which began in the early 1920’s. Illogical scenes with creatures from everyday objects were created by the artists of this era. Invention of photography was an important part of modernist movement.
This was the time, when photographers started searching for aesthetics in photojournalism. “When we talk about photography and its history around the world, each country has a different trajectory. I find American photography to be biased in some ways. In the 9/11 incident, there were hardly any pictures of people dying. Meanwhile, British architectural photography is in a different league by itself,” explained Rahman, who is one of the founding members of the Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust (SAHMAT) in New Delhi The quintessential element of any art piece is still images, photography being one its biggest proponent. But with advancement in modern visual technology, images seem to be loosing their niche.
However, Rahman, thinks that still photography continues to be a powerful tool. “In every artwork or photography, working with a context helps. Cultural rootedness is the ingredient for creation of the best work. Once, a friend introduced me to a picture that was shot in the hills of Mysore. The picture was so engaging and pure that I could still smell Mysore Tea in the canvas. Your art should reflect exactly that,” he added. An open library set-up was also organised to display Rahman’s collection of photography books. The library showcased these books in a bid to promote visual arts and provide an easy access to those who otherwise have a hard time procuring them.