Celebrating the art of photography on a large frame

But for the first time ever, the city will have its very own biennale. The Chennai Photo Biennale, that is pitched as a community public art project focused on public engagement, is a 2-week long festival from February 26 to March 13, which not only brings together renowned photographers from across the globe but also provides an opportunity for up and coming artists to exhibit their work, interact with peers and also be exposed to exquisite creations. The biennale came up as an idea almost a year ago when city based photographer Varun Gupta met the then new director of the Goethe-Institut. 

They spoke many times since then and each time kept coming back to this idea of having a city-wide photography event. “The photography community is definitely thriving in the city as we get to see on social media every day. But, we upload a photo, receive a few hundred likes, feel good about life and just repeat. What is really lacking is a meeting ground for groups and individuals who engage in photography on a weekly basis. We have a lot of talent but no sharing network by way of which we can help each other to improve. This is a gap that we hope to fulfil with the Chennai Photo Biennale.” 

Kolkata-born Varun, whose romance with the lens started at the tender age of 8, is noted for his work in analogue and film photography. He moved to Chennai in 2006, and has been a professional photographer since 2007.Varun has had a long association with public art. In 2012 he conducted the Thiruvanmiyur MRTS exhibit and in 2014, the Besant Nagar beach exhibition. 

However, setting up the project hasn’t been a cakewalk either. “Since we are focused on making this an opportunity for community public art engagement, our biggest challenge until now has been getting permissions for the use of public spaces like parks and museums that we plan on engaging as our venues. It is sad that getting permissions for these spaces that are actually meant for public recreation is so difficult,” says Varun adding that he hopes that the initiative will be able to build a sustainable community through this platform that will go beyond this 2-week event.