In Short
- Sudhir Kasliwal's photography exhibit debuts in Jaipur.
- Kasliwal known for capturing joy in Rajasthan.
- Exhibition includes rare Cibachrome and B&W prints.
For the first time, jeweller-collector Sudhir Kasliwal’s photographic work of 60 years, exhibited the world over, opened to connoisseurs of hometown Jaipur earlier this month.
‘The Song of Light’ solo exhibition, a collection of analogue photographs shot over the decades by the 75-year-old Kasliwal on a range of cameras, was held for only a few days but captivated the city. The venue was Hotel Fairmont, where the inauguration on February 8 saw a strong presence of local dignitaries.
Kasliwal’s association with Gem Palace, founded in 1852 and presenting India and the world exquisite handcrafted jewellery, is well known, and so is his association with Pink City, where he did his schooling at St Xavier’s. What then amazed guests was that he had never held an exhibition in his own city. Should that be a surprise? The renowned poet-lyricist Hasrat Jaipuri had once expressed disappointment that people of his hometown Jaipur had never honoured him.
Kasliwal was delighted when Fairmont general manager Rajat Sethi and sales manager Gagan Katyal approached him with the exhibition concept. They had seen his photographs on display during the Mathurdas Mathur Memorial Polo Cup in Jaipur last October.
Kasliwal, a talented photographer, held his first solo exhibition in Mumbai in 1989. The second one was in Paris the very next year, inaugurated by Rajmata Gayatri Devi. Over the years, he did exhibitions in Mexico, Japan, Italy, New Delhi and even Bikaner, but not Jaipur.
In 2000, the Rajasthan government had asked Kasliwal to do some aerial photography of the state for a brochure to be presented to visiting US president Bill Clinton. In 2009, the Jaipur Jewellery Show had an unusual exhibit—255 rare and exclusive photographs of Gayatri Devi, curated by Kasliwal.
For all these years, Kasliwal’s works have been carried in journals and magazines across the world, and he once even did a political photo assignment for INDIA TODAY. He kept winning awards.
Vasundhara Raje, as Rajasthan chief minister, had asked him to curate a jewellery gallery at the Museum of Legacies, set up in the heritage building of the Rajasthan School of Art, Jaipur. But once she exited office, Kasliwal received a call from an official to remove the exhibits.
“It was a pleasant surprise to have Fairmont display my photographs,” says Kasliwal, who also brought along some of his antique collection of cameras and shared with select guests how he had procured them and kept them in use even now, procuring films at a high cost and developing them himself.
‘The Song of Light’ offered rare glimpses of Rajasthan’s timeless charm, featuring photographs captured over six decades on film. From striking portraits and evolving modes of transport to forgotten traditions and architectural marvels, the exhibition showcased Kasliwal’s eye for storytelling through imagery. With rare Cibachrome prints and stunning black-and-white compositions, the collection stood as one of the most eloquent visual narratives of Rajasthan’s cultural history.
Rajasthan has been shot extensively by renowned photographers from the world over. So how are Kasliwal’s works any different? The theme, in his own words to INDIA TODAY, is “happiness”. “What troubled me was that most photographers, especially from other countries, shot the misery of Indians whereas I could always capture happiness even in subjects living amidst what many would call poverty,” he says.
For him, photo opportunities are call to instant action. “If I were to revisit those very spots where I took the photographs and found similar scenes and subjects, I wouldn’t be able to recreate those moments,” says Kasliwal.
His favourite hunting grounds continue to be the fairs and festivals of Rajasthan, all occasions to unite the various strands of the state’s rich cultural fabric. The forages have yielded some of his best studies of the numerous tribes of Rajasthan—the Bhils, Gadiya Lohars and Garasiyas. In more senses than one, Kasliwal breaks stereotypes: if there is no enthusiasm to picturise glory, there is no attempt either to cash in on poverty and squalour.
“My effort is to capture things as they are, maybe with a positive touch. Happiness is an attitude of the mind and not necessarily related to one’s material circumstances. People can be happy; they are happy in our country, and I want to show the world just that,” says Kasliwal.
After 60 years of crafting magic with large formats, transparencies, wide varieties of film and digital photographs, his darkroom is still the place he is most drawn to. Meditatively developing a roll of film is just as rewarding an experience for Kasliwal as exposing it. No wonder, he is always more enthusiastic about showing his photographs than the masterpieces of jewellery that he has crafted for so many celebrities worldwide. Perhaps that is how passion is different from business.
Source: India Today
