Photo exhibition explores historical town of Hampi during pandemic

A photo exhibition here explores the historical town of Hampi in Karnataka with images mainly captured during the COVID-19 pandemic that forced people to remain indoors. Hosted by Masha Art at Bikaner House, “Rediscover Hampi” showcases 60 images of the capital of the Vijayanagara empire, shot by photographer Manoj Arora. The suite of photographs unveils the historical beauty of the UNESCO-recognised site on the banks of the Tungabhadra river. Curator Uma Nair said that the images of the 14th-century stone sculptures and monuments show Hampi “as a place of artistic expression”.

“Not only do these five dozen visuals unveil Aroras assemblage practices; the lens explores the nature of Hampi as a place of artistic expression,” Nair said in a statement.

The multi-colour photos are steeped in “historical, geographical and socio-political principles that are discursively powerful as well as personally resonant”.

Aroras photographs feature Hampis temple and their murals, with the stone-carved gods and goddesses, captured in the refractive indices of the sunset. “You cannot describe in words the beauty of this timeless place. The relief-rich mouldings, columns and friezes are both divine and demon-like. The artworks on animals are both realist and mythical, truly magical,” Arora said.

The exhibition at Bikaner House will come to a close on September 22. MAH MGMG

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