On display at The Met Breuer is Modernism on the Ganges, an exhibition showcasing the works of Raghubir Singh, who beautifully captures India during times of evolution between the late 1960’s and late 1990’s. Upon exiting the elevator on the second floor, we are greeted with by large white wall that separates the entrance and the full gallery, blank except for the name of the exhibit which is in an orange and blue sans serif typeface. Though crowded on a Sunday afternoon, the space was able to accommodate guests with enough breathing room between pictures and enough room between descriptive text to not take away from the eye-level photos. In addition to the photography, the gallery has a seating area towards the back lined with comfortable benches and chairs – a petite window lines the back wall. Another section of the gallery houses a small theatre which shows two different cinematic pieces related to Singh’s show, both taking place in India.
The topics and subjects of Singh’s photographys vary greatly. Some are of weddings and parties, others of merchant and buyer. In some images we see some of the most difficult struggles India has faced while others give us beaming examples of pride and happiness. Singh uses a lot of different elements to add depth and curiousity to his work – including the use of motor vehicles. Not only does he use reflective surfaces of cars, he also uses them as a frame to set the tone of a piece – this coupled with Singh’s eye for detail and the colorful allows us a glimpse into a world unknown to us.
I had several favorite images from this exhibit but the one that caught my eye the most was Vendor and Clients. This photo played with my eyes and continues to – it’s almost impossible to tell flesh from reflected. Singh plays with light and shadows in this image, making it very difficult to see the faces of three of the four subjects. A beautifully mute blue sky hangs in the background against brown and tan shrubbery and mountains while a car door juts out from the forefront into the mid ground. One side of the composition features a woman and a young girl, the other side consists of an older gentleman and a young boy. This split in the composition makes it feel like we’re in two different places, despite the interaction between the subjects. For me, this photograph highlights Raghubir Singhs eye for composition, framing and detail that makes his imagery so dynamic and sums up the experience I had attending this exhibition.
