Dayanita Singh’s Hands-On Photography

The Midtown Times

Published Saturday November 30, 2024 7:45 AM EDT

Dayanita Singh, a pioneering Indian photographer, has revolutionized the field of photography with her innovative and hands-on approach. Known for transcending the traditional boundaries of the medium, Singh treats photographs as “raw material” to create dynamic, ever-changing experiences that go beyond the static nature of individual images.

Singh's work

Singh’s work is characterized by her unique editing process, where she intuitively selects and combines images from her extensive archives to form temporary assemblages. These creations fluidly weave together different periods, places, and subjects, offering viewers a multilayered experience that challenges conventional perceptions of time and space in photography. This approach is vividly embodied in her “photo-architecture”—mobile wooden structures that she terms “museums.” These structures, which can be reconfigured in numerous ways, provide a new mode of engagement with photographic works, blending the archival and exhibition aspects of photography into a cohesive whole (All About Photo) (Art Spectacle Asia) .

Most Notable Projects

One of Singh’s most notable projects is the “Museum of Chance,” a large-scale installation that incorporates 163 prints covering diverse themes such as dance, music, and everyday life. This project highlights Singh’s commitment to exploring the narrative possibilities of photography through montage and juxtaposition. The “Museum of Chance” was also presented as a book-object, blurring the lines between book and exhibition, and emphasizing the tactile, personal nature of books in disseminating photographic work (Art Spectacle Asia) (Wikipedia) .

Singh’s career began with a focus on the everyday lives of India’s urban middle and upper classes, capturing moments of work, celebration, and rest with a raw and unembellished perspective. Over the years, she has expanded her practice to include books, which she considers central to her work. Collaborating with the German publishing house Steidl since 2004, Singh has produced numerous publications that reflect her innovative approach to photography. Her books, such as “Zakir Hussain: A Photo Essay” and “Museum Bhavan,” are designed to be experienced as art objects in their own right, rather than mere collections of images (All About Photo) (Art Spectacle Asia)

Singh’s contributions to photography have been widely recognized, earning her prestigious awards like the Hasselblad Award and the International Center of Photography Infinity Award. Her work is part of major collections worldwide, including the Centre Pompidou in Paris and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (Wikipedia) .

In summary, Dayanita Singh’s hands-on approach to photography challenges traditional practices and invites viewers to engage with images in novel, interactive ways. Through her innovative use of photo-architecture and her emphasis on the book as an art form, Singh continues to push the boundaries of what photography can be.