CHENNAI: Folk and ritual performances are a familiar sight at temple festivals and community celebrations, bringing stories and traditions to life through costumes, makeup and movement.
Photographer Rekha Vijayashankar's upcoming exhibition, Expressions, is an attempt to capture these moments and the people behind them. Opening at DakshinaChitra Museum's Kadambari Gallery on July 22, the exhibition features over 50 photographs documenting folk and community performance traditions from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The exhibition will run till August 3 and will be inaugurated by Marthanda Varma, Prince of Travancore.
The photographs include art forms such as Theyyam, Kathakali, Poikkal Kuthirai, Yakshagana, Kombu Koyya and Therukoothu, among others. “Though these performances have been practised for generations, many people are still unaware of them. I've photographed these performers at temple festivals and cultural events across South India. What fascinated me most were their expressions and the way they transform themselves during a performance," says Rekha.
For the self-taught photographer, the exhibition is less about documenting the performance itself and more about drawing attention to the artistes who carry these traditions forward. Her close-up photographs focus on painted faces, expressive eyes, gestures and moments that audiences may not always notice during a live performance.
"Many people don't know that such performance traditions exist. I am happy to showcase them through my photographs. Every art form has its own story, costume and expression. I wanted people to look closely at the performers and appreciate the effort and emotion that goes into what they do,” she tells us.
The exhibition explores the idea of transformation that is central to many folk performances. Through makeup and costume, performers take on characters that have been passed down over generations. For a few hours, they step into another identity, embodying myths, rituals and stories that are deeply rooted in their communities. "Once the makeup is on and the costume is complete, they become somebody else. You can see it in their eyes and expressions. Capturing that transformation was one of the most interesting parts of this project,” Rekha says.
A recipient of the Kanavu Fellowship from the Chennai Photo Biennale, Rekha works at DakshinaChitra and has exhibited her photographs in Chennai and abroad. She has also worked on McGill University's archival project on the Gwillim sisters, two British women who documented the monuments, landscapes, flora and people of Madras in the early nineteenth century through watercolours.
With Expressions, Rekha hopes visitors will leave with a deeper appreciation of South India's folk performers and the traditions they keep alive. "These art forms are part of our cultural heritage. Through this exhibition, I want people to discover them and celebrate the artistes who continue to perform them,” she concludes.