
Jhaveri Contemporary is delighted to present Paris-based photographer Vasantha Yogananthan’s debut solo exhibition in India, A Myth of Two Souls.
Yogananthan’s ongoing body of work is ambitiously divided into seven photo books, each dedicated to a chapter in The Ramayana. Drawing from the imagery associated with this mythical tale, Yogananthan traces a journey from north to south India to offer a contemporary re-imaging of the epic that sits somewhere in between documentary, fiction, and mythology.
Shot entirely in analogue, using large or medium format cameras that intentionally slow down the creative process, Vasantha’s project harnesses a distinctive colour palette based on natural light. He is interested in painting, and this has led him to work around the genres of portrait, landscape, and still life, and to engage with local artists like Jaykumar Shankar, with whom he has collaborated to revive the tradition of hand-tinted photographs.
Vasantha Yogananthan (b. 1985, Grenoble. Lives and works in Marseille) works in analogue photography and photobook publishing at the intersection of documentary and fiction. His projects are often undertaken over extended periods and are indebted to his interest in painting traditions. A Myth of Two Souls is a seven-part book project based on sensitive reproductions and interpretations of the popular mythological narrative: The Ramayana. Finding reflections of these stories in India as well as orchestrating their staging, Yogananthan contemporises the epic. Shot in medium and large format and, sometimes delicately hand-painted and collaged, his works are potent dramatisations of the way perceptions of fantasy and reality merge and conflate in these iconic stories.


Jhaveri Contemporary was formed in 2010 by sisters Amrita and Priya with an eye towards representing artists, across generations and nationalities, whose work is informed by South Asian connections and traditions. The gallery’s dedication to original scholarship, engendered through its carefully crafted shows, is one of the many ways it distinguishes itself. Entwined with this philosophy is another guiding principle: showcasing the heterogeneous practices of long-celebrated luminaries as well as emerging talents, often in generously interrogative conversations. With a focus on mining lesser-known art histories, Jhaveri Contemporary facilitates dialogue between artists, curators and historians to add to the wider field of art. Estates served by the gallery include Mrinalini Mukherjee and Anwar Jalal Shemza.

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