Review: Singh, R. (1996). Tamil Nadu. New York: Distributed Art Publishers.

Raghubir Singh turned up in my FB newsfeed a few weeks ago, which sent me on a search for his work.  The only thing I was able to find is this 1996 volume on the state of Tamil Nadu, available through the UAE university library system.  

There are a variety of images here, including what look like typical tourist photos of temples, landscapes, and cityscapes.  There are also clearly abstract images, such as the shape of a tree shot in silhouette against the sun, coils of green pipe accented by a round mirror (reflecting the photographer), or a close-up of a mud carving of the face of a deity that is all swirls and whorls.  There are also a series of landscapes shot from with an automobile and framed by car windows, and the somewhat typical old/new contrasts, such as a satellite dish foregrounded against an ancient temple, or an electric fan between two ancient bronze statues.  

Much is made of Singh’s use of color.  He was, it appears, an early adopter, but I don’t see much color here that is especially redolent.  The collection does capture the essence of the India I have seen and know and evokes a feeling of nostalgia and the desire to travel again.  I look forward to exploring more of Mr Singh’s work.  

A small selection of images are available here:  http://121clicks.com/inspirations/raghubir-singh-inspiration-from-masters-of-photography

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