Shivaraju B.S., a cop-turned-photographer leaves no opportunity to document the city. Fondly referred to as Cop Shiva in the arts community, he came to Bengaluru in 1998. He joined the Karnataka Police, and while on the street performing his job as a cop, he fell in love with the city. As his first exhibited series "Face Two Face" - documenting the lives of Bagedahalli Basavaraj and Vidyasagar who impersonate their idols Mahatma Gandhi and MGR, got noticed, Shiva became a well-known name in India and abroad. As he gears up to show, 'Street has its studio' at Munich Museum in July, he shares with us his five significant pictures.
Text: Shailaja Tripathi
The red chairs outside Apsara Theatre in Kalasipalya weaves nostalgia and melancholy at once. Shot a few days before it was demolished to make way for a mall, Shiva once again refers to the changing cityscape.
Hamams on City Market are a blessing for many who work in City Market. These workers from Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh, and other parts of Karnataka, get a bucket of hot water for Rs.10. They can get their clothes washed and ironed as well.
Here, Shiva focuses on human figures. As construction workers moves from one site to another, through these families of labourers at City Market, he gives a glimpse of their tough life.
Bangalore's history and Shiva's personal memory has given birth to the shot taken at the old world Kalasipalya Bus depot which too is about to disappear to tranform into swanky satellite bus junction. Colourful buses equipped with blaring TVs trying to attract passengers would soon be a thing of the past
The image is from a series called 'Before it all goes' depicting the changing city. He captures the crane lifting a construction structure through which is visible the important landmark of the city, Vidhana Souda. (2013)