Frames in Focus

An opportunity to showcase her research came when Hapgood was invited to curate “A Fantastic Legacy: Early Bombay Photography”,as part of FOCUS festival,a first-of-its-kind event in Mumbai that will celebrate the art of photography. In a section that focuses on the festival’s theme,of the city’s relationship with photography,Hapgood will showcase some of the first photographs taken in mid-19th century Bombay. There will be guided tours of these works at Galerie Max Mueller,Max Mueller Bhavan,on March 25 from 6 pm -7 pm .

Over the span of two weeks,from March 13 to 27,as part of FOCUS,several collaborative events such as exhibitions,competitions,talks,tours and workshops,will take place across the city’s art and cultural centres in galleries,museums,restaurants and outdoors. Co-founded by Nicola Antaki,Matthieu Foss,Elise Foster Vander Elst in collaboration with Asia Art Project, the festival aims to create an environment that will boost the city’s photography scene.

“Despite the exposure,photography doesn’t receive the attention it deserves. The challenge is to change that by proposing a vast choice of exhibitions and to create synergies between the photo/art communities and the public,” says Foss.

Apart from workshops on pin-hole camera and children’s digital photography,free open library of photography books and screening of photography films,the festival will branch out to some of the important art galleries in the city,including Chemould Prescott Road and Sakshi Gallery.

“Photography has been accepted as an art form ever since the camera was invented. Therefore,it easily finds space in art galleries,” says Geeta Mehra,director,Sakshi Gallery,which explores the culture of ‘posing’ in staged contemporary photography in a show titled “Poseurs”. The gallery that has just moved to its new location at Arthur Bunder road will feature works by eminent artists such as Waswo X Waswo,Gigi Scaria,Vivek Vilasini and Nandini Valli Muthiah,along with international artists Gregory Crewdson and Noriko Yamaguchi.

Other venues,such as Blue Frog,Café Zoe,Cheval Bar and Restaurant,Kala Ghoda Café and Mehboob Studios,will play host to discussions and talks. “Bombay Bylines” by street photographer Kaushal Parikh will celebrate the city.

Zoom in

“A Photograph is Not an Opinion — Contemporary Photography by Women”,group exhibition at the Terrace gallery,Jehangir Art Gallery,March 13-27

IQ Talk,Session 2: Discussion around the theme of photography and the city featuring Raghu Rai in the panel,March 19,7pm at Cheval Bar and Restaurant

“A Village in Bengal” by Chirodeep Chaudhuri,at Project 88,March 14-26

Sooni Taraporevala in conversation with Mira Nair on the former’s journey as a photographer over three decades,at Chemould Prescott Road,on March 15

Works from Noida Soliloquy & Sleepers by Dhruv Malhotra,at Chatterjee and Lal,on March 21-April 18

Visual Evidence,a group exhibition,at The Clarke House Initiative,on March 1-31

Screening of documentary film Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens at GoodEarth,Raghuvanshi Mills Compound on March 20