With a world-renowned artist like the late M.F. Husain as a grandfather, it is little wonder that Salamat Husain’s creativity would be unleashed in as unique a style as his mentor’s. The Hindu chats with Salamat about his artistic expressions as portrayed in his solo photography show titled ‘25 Kilos’.
Share some vignettes about capturing an exotic city like Turkey through the ‘third eye’.
Turkey is a harmony of traditional and modern cultures. My impression of the country as a photographer is a mix of this heady cultural tonic that makes me crave to explore deeper into the roots. There is always something intriguing to shoot — from busy bustling streets to the quiet unpaved lanes. There are a few photographs that remain especially memorable for me. The first amongst this was a picture of the Big Blue Sea. The sight remains special for me because the first time I flew into Istanbul (Turkey), I saw rows and rows of gleaming boats docked in this sea, and that image remains as powerful as ever, artistically and otherwise too. The second memorable picture is ‘Silver Baits’. On my last day in Istanbul, I had walked out from the hotel to take a quick stroll around the neighbourhood and walked right up to the bridge, where several men were fishing. I requested a few if I could photograph them and not only did they graciously allow that, they also offered me their fishing rods to catch fish.
Why the unusual title?
Oh! That’s because it is the weight of the equipment that I lug around while capturing photographs.
Photography is considered a form of art over the world, but the acceptance is still in a nascent stage in India. Is this show your attempt to get photography its rightful due?
The means of expressing one’s thought has never been better than freezing a moment. I have come across several professionals who aren’t photographers but are now enquiring about which is the most suitable camera to buy in the market. There’s certainly a lot of interest in expressing one’s creativity through photography. . As for me, yes, in a way, this show is indeed my way of making photography gain more acceptance as an art form in the mainstream. But I would say that thankfully, the acceptance is not as nascent as it was a few years back.
You have been an avid traveller and travel photographer. How has the experience been?
From metropolitan cities like New York, London, Mumbai, to cultural cities like Turkey, Cambodia, etc., to vast landscapes such as East Africa and Iceland, it has always been a refreshing journey. Every trip has let me form new compositions even when visiting the same city time and again. Travelling for me has always unravelled new paths, new cultures, new opportunities, and helped me compose exciting photo stories. The memories and experiences related to these travels are best captured and expressed through the lens only.
Apart from travel photography, your repertoire encompasses quite a few other activities…
I have always followed my mentor and grandfather Husain saab’s advice. He would say, ‘Keep a camera ready with you always. You never know when opportunity strikes’. Thus, I have never stuck to one genre, and have instead tried to explore all possible avenues. I acquired a BFA degree from State University New York in Animation & Design, followed by a diploma from the renowned Hallmark Institute of Photography. Soon after, I got my first opportunity to work and participate in the New York Fashion Week with designers Nico and Adrian followed by the Brooklyn Fashion Week. However, my heart lay at home. I returned to Mumbai and started profiling Bollywood personalities. This was followed by an interesting theatre showcase resulting in the success of magnifying “History of India — VIRitten”, “Walking on Broken Das”, “The Alchemist”, “Two to Tango, Three to Jive”, “The Big Fat City” and “Blame It On Yashraj”. This opportunity took me internationally to London, Dubai, Singapore, Taiwan, Kenya, Tanzania, Greece, Denmark, Macau, New York, Boston and of course, various destinations around India.
Husain saab was a versatile and multi-talented genius who dabbled in various mediums of artistic expression, mainly painting and photography. Were you torn between expressing your creativity through either of these two?
Absolutely not. I have always been a keen admirer of my grandfather’s work and the thought of expressing my creativity had been going through several tests until I stumbled upon photography. That is to say, I have worked on clay sculptures, screen printing, charcoal sketches, book designing, and a few other media. While I continued to express my creativity, photography happened and since then, every view has been visualised in a frame of the camera. In that frame, I would often see the enthusiasm, the passion with which my grandfather would stroke the canvas which was an awe-inspiring experience in itself every single time.
What was it like to grow up with M.F. Husain?
The prominent thing that I remember about him was the chaotic healthy energy that would constantly flow in the house. Conversations about his friends, future exhibitions over a cup of hot chai was a daily routine. Our apartment was an open house to all his friends, media and artists. Every moment spent with my grandfather was a new learning experience. He was a doting father and a grandfather and taught us to be grounded to our roots. Most of my childhood was spent watching him create masterpieces. At times, I would help him mix his paints. His knowledge, passion and simplicity have always reminded me to keep my own passion alive.
