Re Present: Photography from South Asia
January 19 to March 31, 2018
Central Gallery
Anonymous 19th Century Photographers
D. Nusserwanji
Alexander Gorlizki and Riyaz Uddin Studio
Linneaus Tripe
Zinnia Naqvi
Nandan Ghiya
Vivan Sundaram
Pushpamala N. and Clare Arni
Adolf de Meyer
Pamela Singh
Nandini Valli Muthiah
Raja Deen Dayal
Dayanita Singh
Annu Palakunnathu Matthew
John Burke
Ghasiram Haradev Sharma
Panchal Mansaram
Samuel Bourne
Raqs Media Collective
Sunil Gupta
Felice Beato
Photography was introduced to India almost immediately after it was invented in Europe. Louis Daguerre’s instructions for the new media were published in France in August 1839, and by 1840 professional photography studios were open in major cities like Calcutta and Bombay. Photography was soon adopted by the British colonial government to document the many different populations and communities they sought to control, and as a result the medium is deeply entangled with the colonial project as a tool of surveillance and policing. At the same time, photography was also enthusiastically embraced by Indians themselves as a means of personal expression and modern experimentation. The painted and embellished photographic practices that developed in nineteenth century South Asia are a unique contribution to the global history of the medium.
Re Present includes a historical section of nineteenth century photographs with examples of both colonial and vernacular forms of photography, including work by major artists including Samuel Bourne, Raja Deen Dayal and Linneaus Tripe, as well as work by many unknown or unnamed studio photographers. The second part of the exhibition features the work of several contemporary artists who use historical images or well-known compositions of visual iconography as the basis for their contemporary interventions. By re-presenting and subtly manipulating imagery that at first appears familiar, these artists insert the past into the present moment in a way that challenges long-held assumptions about photography’s capacity for accuracy and truth.
In addition to featuring the work of artists from South Asia, Re Present includes work by artists of South Asian heritage who live in the diaspora, including South Asian-Canadian artists, who use photography to reflect on themes of migration and relocation. The exhibition includes an interactive educational space highlighting the history of South Asian communities in British Columbia and the importance of photographic records in the immigrant experience.
This exhibition has an accompanying publication available here.
Curated by Adrienne Fast, Interim Curator, Kamloops Art Gallery
Generously sponsored by PACART, and Nandi's Flavours of India
View images of the exhibition here.

Alexander Gorlizki and Riyaz Uddin Studio Quorum, 2008
opaque watercolour and gold on inkjet digital print
31.5 x 27 cm
On loan from the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada, this acquisition was made possible with the generous support of the South Asia Acquisition and Research Fund, 2009.11.2
Image used with permission of the Royal Ontario Museum © ROM

Nandan Ghiya, Eleven Perspectives (detail), 2014
acrylic, 19th century photogravures, altered wooden frames
Courtesy of the Artist and Exhibit 320, Delhi
acrylic, 19th century photogravures, altered wooden frames
Courtesy of the Artist and Exhibit 320, Delhi

Nandini Valli Muthiah, Saraswati 1, 2008
inkjet print on archival paper
Collection of the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Gift of Nandini Valli Muthiah, in memory of her father M.C.T. Muthiah (1929–2006), 2014
inkjet print on archival paper
Collection of the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Gift of Nandini Valli Muthiah, in memory of her father M.C.T. Muthiah (1929–2006), 2014

Vivan Sundaram, Doppelganger, from the series Re-take of Amrita, 2001
archival digital pigment print
Courtesy of the Artist and sepia EYE, New York
archival digital pigment print
Courtesy of the Artist and sepia EYE, New York

Unknown photographer, Portrait of a Ceylonese Girl with Umbrella, c. 1860–1900
albumin silver print
Collection of the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, purchased 1972
albumin silver print
Collection of the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, purchased 1972

Samuel Bourne, Untitled (Varanasi), from Album of Views of India, Australia, Scotland and Switzerland, c. 1863–1885
albumin silver print
Collection of the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. Gift of Anstace and Larry Esmonde-White, Kemptville, Ontario, 1992
albumin silver print
Collection of the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. Gift of Anstace and Larry Esmonde-White, Kemptville, Ontario, 1992

Pamela Singh, Treasure Map 008, 2015
painted archival digital print
Courtesy of the Artist and sepia EYE, New York
painted archival digital print
Courtesy of the Artist and sepia EYE, New York

Samuel Bourne, Mount Everest, Himalayas, 1863–70
albumen print
Collection of the Vancouver Art Gallery, Gift of Claudia Beck and Andrew Gruft
albumen print
Collection of the Vancouver Art Gallery, Gift of Claudia Beck and Andrew Gruft

Raqs Media Collective, An Afternoon Unregistered on the Richter Scale, 2011
single channel colour video, 3 minutes 34 seconds
Courtesy of the Artists
single channel colour video, 3 minutes 34 seconds
Courtesy of the Artists

Zinnia Naqvi, Vanaja Ganeshan, Kondavil, Jaffna, Sri Lanka, 1977; Byra Dineshkumar, Pickering ON, Canada, 2012, from the series Past and Present II, 2013
ink jet print
Courtesy of the Artist
ink jet print
Courtesy of the Artist

Installation view of Re Present: Photography from South Asia showing at left, Unknown photographer and artist, Portrait of Mewar Raja, c. 1930,
India ink over gelatin silver developing-out paper print,
On loan from the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada, Cyrus and Ruth Jhabvla Collection. This acquisition was made possible with the generous support of the Louise Hawley Stone Charitable Trust.
At right, D. Nusserwanji, Portrait of Two Merchants, 1928,
watercolour on gelatin silver printing-out paper print,
On loan from the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada. This acquisition was made possible with the generous support of the South Asia Research and Acquisition Fund.
Photo: Cory Hope, Kamloops Art Gallery
India ink over gelatin silver developing-out paper print,
On loan from the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada, Cyrus and Ruth Jhabvla Collection. This acquisition was made possible with the generous support of the Louise Hawley Stone Charitable Trust.
At right, D. Nusserwanji, Portrait of Two Merchants, 1928,
watercolour on gelatin silver printing-out paper print,
On loan from the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada. This acquisition was made possible with the generous support of the South Asia Research and Acquisition Fund.
Photo: Cory Hope, Kamloops Art Gallery

Installation view of Re Present: Photography from South Asia showing at left: Attributed to Raja Deen Dayal, Maharao Raghubhir Singh of Bundi with his Courtiers, c. 1880,
albulmen print,
On loan from the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada. This acquisition was made possible with generous support from the South Asian Research and Acquisition Fund.
At right: Alexander Gorlizki and Riyaz Uddin Studio, Quorum, 2008,
opaque watercolour and gold on inkjet digital print,
On loan from the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada, this acquisition was made possible with the generous support of the South Asia Acquisition and Research Fund.
Photo: Cory Hope, Kamloops Art Gallery
albulmen print,
On loan from the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada. This acquisition was made possible with generous support from the South Asian Research and Acquisition Fund.
At right: Alexander Gorlizki and Riyaz Uddin Studio, Quorum, 2008,
opaque watercolour and gold on inkjet digital print,
On loan from the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada, this acquisition was made possible with the generous support of the South Asia Acquisition and Research Fund.
Photo: Cory Hope, Kamloops Art Gallery

Installation view of Re Present: Photography from South Asia showing Annu Palakunnathu Matthew, Open Wound, 2014,
vintage encyclopedia, ipad, video, edition 2/5,
On loan from the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto. Canada. This acquisition was made possible with the generous support of the Louise Hawley Stone Charitable Trust Peer Review Fund.
Photo: Cory Hope, Kamloops Art Gallery
vintage encyclopedia, ipad, video, edition 2/5,
On loan from the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto. Canada. This acquisition was made possible with the generous support of the Louise Hawley Stone Charitable Trust Peer Review Fund.
Photo: Cory Hope, Kamloops Art Gallery

Installation view of Re Present: Photography from South Asia showing Annu Palakunnathu Matthew, Open Wound, 2014,
vintage encyclopedia, ipad, video, edition 2/5,
On loan from the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto. Canada. This acquisition was made possible with the generous support of the Louise Hawley Stone Charitable Trust Peer Review Fund.
Photo: Cory Hope, Kamloops Art Gallery
vintage encyclopedia, ipad, video, edition 2/5,
On loan from the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto. Canada. This acquisition was made possible with the generous support of the Louise Hawley Stone Charitable Trust Peer Review Fund.
Photo: Cory Hope, Kamloops Art Gallery

Installation view of Re Present: Photography from South Asia showing at left and right: Vivan Sundaram, Bourgeois Family: Mirror Frieze, 2001, and Quartet, 2001 from the series Re-take on Amrita,
archival digital pigment prints,
Courtesy of the Artist and sepia EYE. At centre: Dayanita Singh, File Museum, 2012,
Burma teak cabinet, archival pigment prints, Edition of 3,
Collection of the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, purchased 2013.
Photo: Cory Hope, Kamloops Art Gallery
archival digital pigment prints,
Courtesy of the Artist and sepia EYE. At centre: Dayanita Singh, File Museum, 2012,
Burma teak cabinet, archival pigment prints, Edition of 3,
Collection of the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, purchased 2013.
Photo: Cory Hope, Kamloops Art Gallery

Installation view of Re Present: Photography from South Asia showing works by Nandini Valli Muthiah: at left, Saraswati 1, 2008, and at right, Shiva, 2008,
inkjet prints on archival paper,
Collection of the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto. Gift of Nandini Valli Muthiah, in memory of her father M.C.T. Muthiah (1929-2006), 2014.
Photo: Cory Hope, Kamloops Art Gallery
inkjet prints on archival paper,
Collection of the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto. Gift of Nandini Valli Muthiah, in memory of her father M.C.T. Muthiah (1929-2006), 2014.
Photo: Cory Hope, Kamloops Art Gallery

Installation view of Re Present: Photography from South Asia showing Dayanita Singh, File Museum, 2012,
Burma teak cabinet, archival pigment prints, Edition of 3,
Collection of the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, purchased 2013.
Photo: Cory Hope, Kamloops Art Gallery
Burma teak cabinet, archival pigment prints, Edition of 3,
Collection of the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, purchased 2013.
Photo: Cory Hope, Kamloops Art Gallery

Installation view of Re Present: Photography from South Asia showing works by P. Mansaram: at left, Untitled, 1992, ink on Xeroxed paper, and at right, Image India #31, 1994,
ink on paper,
On loan from the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada, gift of the Artist.
Photo: Cory Hope, Kamloops Art Gallery
ink on paper,
On loan from the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada, gift of the Artist.
Photo: Cory Hope, Kamloops Art Gallery

Installation view of Re Present: Photography from South Asia showing works by Pamela Singh: clockwise from top left, Treasure Map 008, 2015, Treasure Map 012, 2015, Treasure Map 017, 2015 and Treasure Map 027, 2015,
painted archival digital prints,
Courtesy of the Artist and sepia EYE.
Photo: Cory Hope, Kamloops Art Gallery
painted archival digital prints,
Courtesy of the Artist and sepia EYE.
Photo: Cory Hope, Kamloops Art Gallery

Installation view of Re Present: Photography from South Asia showing works by Zinnia Naqvi: at left, Past and Present II, 2013, ink jet prints, Courtesy of the Artist, and at right, Past and Present II (In Motion), 2016,
single channel colour video, 11 minutes, 8 seconds,
Courtesy of the Artist.
Photo: Cory Hope, Kamloops Art Gallery
single channel colour video, 11 minutes, 8 seconds,
Courtesy of the Artist.
Photo: Cory Hope, Kamloops Art Gallery

Installation view of Re Present: Photography from South Asia showing Nandan Ghiya, The Pet Pixel Unveiling of Our Ancestors, 2014,
acrylic, MDF, digital prints,
Courtesy of the Artist and Exhibit 320, Delhi.
Photo: Cory Hope, Kamloops Art Gallery
acrylic, MDF, digital prints,
Courtesy of the Artist and Exhibit 320, Delhi.
Photo: Cory Hope, Kamloops Art Gallery

Installation view of Re Present: Photography from South Asia showing works by P. Mansaram: at left, Image India #53, 1994, ink on paper, and at right, Image India #63, 1994,
ink on paper,
On loan from the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada, gift of the Artist
Photo: Cory Hope, Kamloops Art Gallery
ink on paper,
On loan from the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada, gift of the Artist
Photo: Cory Hope, Kamloops Art Gallery

Installation view of Re Present: Photography from South Asia showing Nandan Ghiya, Eleven Perspectives, 2013,
acrylic, nineteenth century photogravures, altered wooden frames,
Courtesy of the Artist and Exhibit 320, Delhi.
Photo: Cory Hope, Kamloops Art Gallery
acrylic, nineteenth century photogravures, altered wooden frames,
Courtesy of the Artist and Exhibit 320, Delhi.
Photo: Cory Hope, Kamloops Art Gallery

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