Light Writing | The Photographic Image–Reloaded!
Curated By Pushpamala N., Artistic Director, Chennai Photo Biennale 2019
16 – 17 March 2019 | Egmore Museum Auditorium | Chennai
Where does photography stand today? Is the idea of photography dead in the digital age or does the photographic image survive in multiple avatars celebrating, archiving, disturbing and investigating every aspect of our lives? Does the photograph stand as witness or does it spread fake news? Is the photograph evidence? Is the photograph a document or is it somehow a strange and surreal version of our world? Why are photographers getting arrested and killed? Why are we looking at historical archives and why are new photographic archives being created? Is the photographic archive a form of resistance, or activism? Is the selfie a form of citizenship? Is the digital world too fast for us and how do we slow it down? Is photography the way we can look inside our own bodies? Can photography change the world? Is photography dream or magic? Are we obsessed with photography?
The word ‘photography’– created from the Greek roots ‘photos’ : ‘light’, and ‘graphe’ : ‘drawing with lines’ – literally means ‘light writing’. The conference brought together some of the important thinkers, practitioners, and activists from around the world to discuss the latest debates around photography today as a central part of the Chennai Photo Biennale 2019.
About the Chennai Photo Biennale Foundation (CPBF):
The CPBF is a non-profit organisation that works towards building a community that fosters creative expression through visual arts. CPBF is committed to expanding the consciousness about photography as an art form through exhibitions, socio-cultural discussions and education programs. It actively works with less privileged groups of students and communities and offers its platform as an inclusive and collaborative learning and exhibition space for artists, enthusiasts and art lovers to come together from across the world. The Foundation conducts year round programs and every two years hosts a public art international festival called the Chennai Photo Biennale.