Emami Art’s Ode to the Photographic Modernism of Lalit Mohan Sen

Emami Art Brings Lalit Mohan Sen’s Photography to Chennai

Emami Art presented photographic works by painter and printmaker, Lalit Mohan Sen in its newest exhibition, An Enduring Legacy: Lalit Mohan Sen. A part of Chennai Photo Biennale Edition 4, the exhibition is presented at Alliance Francaise of Madras, Chennai. The event began on 18 January and will continue till 15 February 2025.

Lalit Mohan Sen’s Career Through An Enduring Legacy

Lalit Mohan Sen (1898- 1954) was also a fine and prolific photographer. He was a member of the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain, wherein his early photograph, “Homeward,” made waves. He spread the photography culture in northern India through his efforts, institutional fairs, and the UP Armature Photographic Association. Despite his immense contribution to creative photography, his name is sidelined in India’s history of photographic modernism.

The exhibition at the Chennai Photo Biennale in 2025 is the first major exhibition focusing entirely on Lalit Mohan Sen’s photographic practices. An Enduring Legacy includes diverse genres of his photographic works, including photographs of posed models, landscapes and ethnographic portraiture, produced in the last two decades of his life. As his photography was never an isolated practice but rather closely connected to the other spheres of his artistic practice, Emami Art will display his paintings, drawings, linocut illustrations and some archival materials, exploring the place of photography in his creative oeuvre based on the ethos of naturalism. 

Overall, the exhibition is about LM Sen’s photographs – a hitherto unexplored trajectory of his artistic practice – and the time and context in which he worked. 

Richa Agarwal on An Enduring Legacy

Richa Agarwal, CEO of Emami Art speaks of the exhibition, “An Enduring Legacy: Lalit Mohan Sen (1898–1954) celebrates the life and work of a multifaceted artist—painter, printmaker, and photographer—whose practice reflects a profound synthesis of artistic disciplines. While his contributions to painting and printmaking have been duly acknowledged, his pioneering role in creative photography has remained largely overlooked in the narrative of India’s photographic modernism.”

She adds, “Lalit Mohan Sen’s work resonates with the ethos of naturalism and exemplifies his extraordinary engagement with multiple mediums, underscoring his legacy as both an artist and an institution builder. By bringing his artistic journey to a wider audience, we aim to  cement his rightful place in the history of Indian art, inspiring art lovers and scholars to explore his unparalleled contributions.” 

About Lalit Mohan Sen 

Lalit Mohan Sen was born in 1898 in Shantipur, Nadia, where he grew up in a family associated with the famous traditional textile industries. He studied at the Government School of Arts and Crafts, Lucknow and the Royal College of Art, London. Success came to Lalit Mohan Sen early on. His paintings, prints, posters and photographs were widely exhibited and praised in India and abroad.

He was a part of Queen Mary’s royal collection. He was also a staple at the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Royal Photographic Society, amongst more. Lalit Mohan Sen was a reputed book illustrator known for his commercial art. A versatile artist and teacher, he passed away in Lucknow in 1954. 

About Emami Art

Emami Art is a leading Indian contemporary art gallery and a platform for cultural production. Established in 2017 in Kolkata, Emami Art represents emerging, mid-career and established artists and organises a dynamic programme of exhibitions and public seminars. Since its inception, the gallery has curated and hosted intimate and large-scale exhibitions and regularly participates in national and international art fairs and conferences.

Image – Boys waiting at a tea shop (c.1940-50), Silver Gelatin print, 9.3×11.3 in. Courtesy – Emami Art