‘Why Photography?’ Chennai Photo Biennale Has The Answers

Chennai Photo Biennale Comes Back for a Fourth Edition

Chennai Photo Biennale’s (CPB) fourth edition is on the horizon, and we can’t keep calm. The Biennale will be conducted in two phases. Phase 1 begins on 20 December 2024, whereas Phase 2 begins on 17 January 2025. The Biennale closes on 16 Mar 2025. Both phases will include a set of primary shows of the CPB Foundation and the Invited projects, to be hosted at various public spaces and galleries across Chennai. The Goethe-Institut Chennai is CPB4’s official partner. Be prepared for numerous public openings, talks, panel discussions, exhibition tours, workshops, film screenings, poetry interventions and more.

The Inspiration Behind ‘Why Photography?’

This year’s Chennai Photo Biennale takes its primary inspiration from Dayanita Singh’s ongoing exploration “#whyphotograph” which unfolds a series of inquiries into our relationship with photography. Through her work, she urges everyone to keep going back to this critical question of our time by emphasising the making of the work, and then, on the form and presentation of it.

What Does CPB4 Bring to Chennai?

In this era of visual saturation, CPB4 brings together slower approaches to image-making and presents works in public spaces across Chennai. The Biennale will showcase diverse practices by artists who are reshaping dominant narratives by addressing gaps in representation, remixing colonial visual vocabularies with native avant-garde aesthetics, by shifting the gaze from the lone photographer to forge an ethic of care and collective authorship.

The Programs in Chennai Photo Biennale

This year’s Chennai Photo Biennale encompasses more than 16 exhibitions and immaculate programs, spread across 90 days.

Phase I Chennai Photo Biennale Highlights

For the first phase of ‘Why Photography,’ Chennai Photo Biennale has curated the following programs.

1. Vaanyerum Vizhuthugal

‘Vaanyerum Vizhuthugal’ translating to “Roots that Reach for the Sky” is a show curated by Jaisingh Nageswaran. It will be run from 20 Dec 2024 – 16 March 2025 at VR Chennai. The show brings visual tapestries from 12 lens-based artists across Tamil Nadu including Alina Tiphagne, Aishwarya Arumbakkam, Arun Karthik, Brinda Anantharaman, Krithika Sriram, Osheen Siva, Priyadarshini Ravichandran, Sathish Kumar, Shankar Raja Narayana, Sridhar Balasubramaniyam, Steevez Rodriguez and Vivek Mariappan.

2. It’s time. To see. To be seen.

In ‘It’s time. To see. To be seen.’ women respond to the world through photographic practices. The show will take place at the Lalit Kala Akademi, Chennai from 20 Dec 2024 – 16 March 2025. It is a Chennai Photo Biennale Foundation showcase in collaboration with Goethe-Institut Chennai, the British Council, Pro Helvetia and the French Institute. The show displays works by artists globally Ann Griffin (Switzerland), Bhumika Saraswati (India), Delphine Diallo (France/USA), Farheen Fatima (India), Fast Forward Collective (UK), Hannah Cooke (Germany), Indu Antony (India), Kiki Strietberger (Germany), Nony Singh (India), Offset Projects (India), Prarthna Singh (India), Radha Rathi (India), Samar Hazboun (Palestine).

More shows include the following.

1. ‘Madras, Margazhi & Music’ Portraits by Amar Ramesh: The show will be held at Narada Gana Sabha, Chennai from 20 Dec 2024 to 3 Feb 2025.
2. ‘Common Nouns’: The show is scheduled to occur at Raw Mango Store from 20 Dec 2024.

Phase II Chennai Photo Biennale Highlights

The second phase of CPB4 will allow the public to view the following exhibitions.

1. Love and Light

‘Love and Light’ is a show curated by Charan Singh as a site of infinite possibilities. It will be held at Government Museum, Egmore, Chennai from 17 Jan 2025 to 16 Mar 2025. It is a retrospective of Sunil Gupta and supported by Tarun & Tarana Sawhney, Vadehra Art Gallery, Jaiveer Johal and Sid Khanna. 

2. What Makes Me Click!

‘What Makes Me Click!’ celebrates & spotlightes 20 photography projects by children globally. The exhibition is curated by the Chennai Photo Biennale Foundation and the Children’s Photography Archive, UK, with support from Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies. It will also be held at the Government Museum from 17 Jan 2025 – 16 March 2025. The exhibition will be curated as an interactive installation designed by The Architecture Story along the museum campus with photographs as well as engaging playful activities for all ages including a pinhole camera. 

Participating institutions and artists include the Tamil Nadu School Department & Palani Kumar (India), Fawood and Curzon Nursery Schools & Catherine Rive (UK), Children’s Photography Archive (UK), CEDAR Coimbatore, Girl Museum (UK), Nirmal Bhartia School (India), Fotohane Darkroom (Turkey), Fotokids (Guatemala), Through the lens (South Africa), Art Reach (India), Bronx Documentary Centre (USA), Anjali House with Angkor Photo Festival & Workshops (Cambodia), Objectifs Centre (Singapore), Museum of Photography (Greece), Photoworks, The National Gallery, London and Brighton & Hove Museums, Alejandra Carles-Tolra (UK), Prakriti School (India), Chennai Photo Biennale Foundation (India), Chinky Shukla (Rajasthan), Ibn Rushd Fund, Qattan Child Centre Gaza, Asmaa Seba (Gaza). 

3. CPB4 Open Call Showcase

‘CPB4 Open Call Showcase’ is scheduled for 17 Jan 2025 – 16 March 2025 at VR Chennai. It features 40 photographers from entries received from across 30 countries. The exhibition will showcase single images and photo essays selected by an established international jury including Alessia Glaviano (Milano), Brendan McCleary (Australia), Gwen Lee (Singapore), Joseph Radhik (India), Julie Héraut (Paris), Michael Weir (UK), Smita Sharma (India), Umah Jacob (India) and Varun Gupta (India). 

4. Alt: Analog

‘Alt: Analog’ is a Darkroom Residency Showcase, which displays works by artists from India and the UK – Ārun (Chennai), Holly Birtles (UK) and Soham Joshi (UK). The show is supported by the British Council in partnership with PhotoWorks UK. 

5. ‘Kaana Katral’ – Learning to see 

‘Kaana Katral’ – Learning to see’ will be on view from 14 Feb 2025 – 16 March 2025 at VR Chennai. In this Chennai Photo Biennale Exhibition, you can see graduate students work from Dr MGR Janaki College for Women and Tamil Nadu Government MGR Film & Television Institute, Chennai. The exhibition showcases 15 students’ works on visual storytelling supported by Photo South Asia and Murthy Nayak Foundation.

6. Hey! Exhibition

Another show scheduled at VR Chennai on 14 Feb 2025 – 16 March 2025 is ‘Hey! Exhibition.’ The exhibition features visual stories by people with disabilities and neurodivergence in collaboration with the Museum of Possibilities and VR Chennai

Other shows include the following:

1. Cop Shiva and Lim Soo-Sik’s works curated by Nandini Valli Muthiah at InKo Centre Gallery from 10 Jan 2025 – 22 Feb 2025
2. ‘Time Present Time Past’: The show focuses on Sebastian Cortez’s works showcased at the Folly, Amethyst from 13 Jan – 16 Jan 2025.
3. ‘Photography Strictly Prohibited’: The show is a retrospective of Navroze Contractor by Navjivan Trust and National Photography Festival from 18 Jan 2025 – 28 Jan 2025 at Folly, Amethyst. 
4. ‘Postcards from Home’: A show by Manisha Gera Baswani, will be conducted at the Raw Mango Store from 17 Jan 2025 – 16 Feb 2025.
5. ‘Lalit Mohan Sen Archives – An Enduring Legacy’: A showcase by Emami Art, the exhibition will be held on 17 Jan 2025 – 16 Feb 2025 at Alliance Française Madras Gallery, Chennai. 
6. ‘Limits of Change’: A show by Parvathi Nayar and Nayantara Nayar, will occur at the Lalit Kala Akademi from 08 Feb 2025 – 20 Feb 2025.
7. ‘So far and Henceforth’: A show by Nandini Valli Muthiah, will happen from 01 March 2-25 – 15 March 2025 at Lalit Kala Akademi, Chennai.
8. ‘Indianisms’: The display by Prashant Panjiar will be on view at the Gallery Veda from 1 March 2025 to 16 March 2025

Image Courtesy – Chennai Photo Biennale

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