Again reminding one of the constant blurring of lines between various art forms is Farah Ahmed's first solo show in Delhi, “Fluid Forms”. The young upcoming photographer renders abstraction to subjects like nature and heritage that have been captured on lens. And by doing so she succeeds in making her work look like a painting. To add to the effect, the Bangalore-based photographer has even framed her works like paintings by stretching her pictures on a canvas. “Photography all over the world is slowly being accepted as a form of art. I, through this exhibition, only take it a little forward… Anybody can take a pretty picture but what happens when you tweak it a bit?” asks Farah.
Natural interventions or ‘distortions', as Farah calls it, like water puddles or reflective textures, play an important role in her practice. Steering clear of the staple fare, Farah clicked Taj Mahal's reflection in the pond. “I got lucky. There were hardly any people and even the few who were around moved away for a split second and I got my moment,” says Farah.
Her travels across Ranthambore, Goa, Chicago and Delhi have contributed heavily to this collection. “While on a tiger safari, everybody was shooting the tiger, and I was looking for still water bodies and nature. So, there are reflections of single trees with diluted colours of brown,” she adds.
On the absence of human beings in her frames, the photographer says, “Human figures evoke emotions but I wanted to evoke emotions in the viewer by creating an imagery that is powerful and without any humans in it.” The solidified structures seen through the rippled waters of a puddle or a pond are also indicative of transience.
(The exhibition will be held at the Convention Centre Center Foyer at the India Habitat Centre from August 25 to August 31)
