Kickstarter

With two productive trips to India behind me, I need to make one more journey to complete a book containing between 50 and 60 photographs.

Where will I go next? Some of the places that could round out the collection of images in my book are: the Rajasthani cities of Jaisalmer and Udaipur; Orissa state, with its rarely photographed aboriginal population; and possibly, again, Tamil Nadu, the heart of Hindu culture in S. India. Other locations have been suggested by long time residents of the sub-continent, including Orchha in Madhya Pradesh, a small town with innumerable temples dating to the 16th century and an approximate population of only 10,000 people.

Knowing something about India, I realize that one must remain flexible while travelling there. One must have a plan and yet remain open to change.

Many have encouraged me to return to India to take more photographs (you know who you are) and I am now raising money for that next journey (proposed for Feb. 2013), and for the publication of both a soft bound coffee table style book (250 copies, Nov., 2013) and of an e-book (for the iPad in Nov. 2013 and later for the Kindle).

In 1970, when I first ventured to Afghanistan and the Indian subcontinent, I did not know what awaited me, and never expected to spend most of the next 20 years there. One thing I did know, even at the outset of my journey: there would be much  to learn, for life there was very different from life in the West. How different it would turn out to be, no one could have imagined.

The video above (filmed in Puri, east India, March, 2011 near the central temple complex of this pilgrimage destination) illustrates the chaotic blend of ancient traditions and contemporary life found in India. 

The medieval aspects of such ritualized yet chaotic slices of daily life in Asia have proven irresistible to my mind and eye. The alternative reality that is India has remained both foreign and compelling to me, despite a deep familiarity with the place, its peoples, and cultures.

It is the ancient traditions and way of life in India that have always been an attraction for us here in the West. I have long been fascinated by old photographs of Asia, including the work of early 20th century Russian photographers like Samuel Dudin. Presenting those images anew on my website, captioned and digitally re-mastered, has been a source of great pleasure over the years. -  http://www.tcoletribalrugs.com/zOldPhotos-101.html

I found soon enough in my early travels in Central and South Asia that images like this archival photograph of Varanasi (above) still abounded. Compelling images often appeared before my eyes, primarily in Afghanistan. I was able to capture a few of these, and some of them may be viewed here – (http://www.tcoletribalrugs.com/zphotos-new7.html).

Taking photos in those days, with a manual Pentax SLR and a limited number of expensive rolls of film was more challenging than today. Digital photography has changed the landscape of the art of photography. Nonetheless, challenges remain.  Cameras are now sophisticated computers, and one must master the new technology.

My goal with images of India is to take shots that give little to no inkling of exactly when a photograph may have been taken. Many scenes of modern India could have been found in colonial times or earlier. With that in mind, one must avoid electric wires (a task onto itself in the 21st century India), electrical fixtures, cars, motorcycles, cell phones and any of the other accouterments of modern life.  

Presenting the magic of India as what it once was and, at times, still remains is a formidable task, though not impossible by any means. Many travel photos of India depict the colorful festivals with the opulent yet chaotic splendor of ceremony. But I prefer images of everyday life, images of simple devotion or private moments in the lives of ordinary people rather than the wild and oft depicted sadhus (holy men of India). 

Larger and later temples, i.e. those of Madurai, may be more familiar to Westerners, but for serious students of classical Indian art, it is important to visit some of the older temple sites on the subcontinent. Often these are located in less travelled places, such as Chidamburam in rural Tamil Nadu. 

Many people know me primarily as a dealer in Central Asian textile arts, and the introduction of photography into the mix may come as a surprise to some. But it is simply a continuation of my fascination with the visual. My eye for images to photograph is closely akin to my eye for the colors and patterns of textiles.

In recent years, I’ve hosted photography exhibitions of my work taken over the course of two journeys to India (Feb. 2010 and Feb. 2011)—two shows in my private gallery space in San Rafael as well as exhibitions in Berkeley and Whitethorn, CA. One recurring comment of viewers is that my images “look like paintings”.  Many of my friends who have spent years in India as well say the images are different from those they’ve seen or have taken themselves. 

People are seldom able to articulate just what makes them different, but most who see my work agree that my eye has served me well in both of my chosen fields, textile art and photography.

I never step out into the streets of any place in India with a preconceived notion of what I want to shoot or see; I have no expectations. Though I don’t shy away from taking photos of people, many of the images I’ve selected for exhibition and would also publish are of architecture: doorways, medieval temple walls, and architectural details. 

At the same time, the images of people (never posed) continue to exert a powerful pull on their viewers. 

The commentary that accompanies each image is an essential component of the experience. It can offer needed context to those who may be unfamiliar with the nuances of Indian culture or, perhaps, it describes what may be the extraordinary circumstances that brought me and the subject of a photograph to the same place at the same time.
 
The complete commentary for the above photo follows - "Taken in south India, in Karnataka State. When I spotted this girl walking through a park, I knew I wanted to capture her image, but did not quite know how to do so. I found myself walking on a parallel path to hers but about one step ahead, turned on my camera and got it ready, then suddenly dropped to one knee and aimed it at her. She spotted me out of the corner of her eye, whipped around to look at me, and this is the image I shot. Both of us were equally surprised and pleased - me with the result and her by me."

The odd synchronicity of events leads one to find oneself in the right place at the right time. Sometimes it is better to be lucky than good--to capture good shots, one must, at times, rely upon luck. 

Those who know India are familiar with the concept of moving with the flow, of not pressing the pace. Although allowing images to effortlessly appear before one’s eyes is important, one must also move one’s feet, broadening horizons, allowing the eye room to wander over an ever-changing landscape of colors, people and places. 

The funding will be used in the following manner –  

US $9500 – travel to and within India for 45 – 60 days (including expenses for international and domestic airfare, train and other ground transportation, food, and hotels) 

US $7500 – design, production and printing costs of 250 soft bound books 

US $4400 – Kickstarter fees (5% of $17,000 expenses for the project) + Amazon payment fees (5% of $17,000 expenses for the project) + US government  taxes (15% of $17,000 expenses for the project)

Your assistance with fulfilling this project will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you very much!