In Marlene Apmann’s photographs, young girls from all over the city strike a pose. Some do it with confidence, a few seem conscious and a lot of them with attitude and grace. Besides the gender, the other common thread is the red carpet the girls stand on in public spaces — bus stand, streets, shops, at a marriage hall, a public park.
Called The Red Carpet, this body of work resulted from Marlene’s four-year stay in India. In an interview, the photographer, who has returned to Germany talks about how these images probe the issues of gender and society. Edited excerpts.
Why did you chose the red carpet for the photographic intervention?
I chose the red carpet for my project as it embodies an international known symbol for the VIP world. I see the red carpet as a piece of conceptual art, mixing elements of fashion and street life in a specific cultural background.
Does it change the body language of the girls and the way they engage with your lens?
Yes absolutely. The red carpet works as a kind of stage in the streets. This installation gives the girls and young women a special chance to concentrate on themselves. In my project, they have the opportunity to be that very important person, and get this documented by my portrait. The portraits were taken in real life, made visible in the background of my photos, but keeping the focus on the person in front of my camera. For me a good portrait reveals the personality of the subject in front of the camera, aspects of his/her character and temper – it is deeper than the aesthetic surface. In my photographic practice I always have a focus on a topic, not limited to portrait; I want to show a different aspects of the subject with my photo.
Had it been a different prop or object, would it have turned out differently?
Entirely. The red carpet represents an international concept of exclusivity, usually reserved to celebrities. No other object would have been able to highlight the models as effectively as a red carpet does. Without the concept of the red carpet it would have been another kind of street photography, but I wanted to realise my concept to point out the situation of women in India. For me the way these girls are dressed in more or less normal life is opposite to the way many girls and women are treated here with a lot of limitation and discrimination. A sensitive viewer will be able to pick up these suggestions.
How did you choose your models and how did you convince them to pose for you? What were their reactions?
I wanted to work with girls from different age groups - little girls, teenagers and adult women. I met the majority of them in the streets and public spaces of Bangalore, where I talked to them, explained my project and had in depth communication with them before I took their portrait. I was amazed with their attitude, focus. I think a lot of them are strong- minded and have strong personalities.
I left India after living and working in Bangalore for four years. In that time I worked on several art projects and thoroughly enjoyed capturing the colourful Indian life through my lens. Another photographic work of mine was on the Indian wedding industry and arranged marriages.
(The exhibition, The Red Carpet, is on at Gallery Manora, 100 feet road, Indiranagar, till January 6)
