My first solo photography exhibition

It was four years back when I presented my first solo photography exhibition at Nehru Centre Art Gallery, Worli, Mumbai. Happy to share the throwback pictures from this photography exhibition. Today is the World Photography Day and it was during this week that my photography exhibition at Mumbai was presented. This photography exhibition was a fundraiser for Nana Palkar Smruti Samiti for their excellent work of providing accomodation for cancer patients who come over to Mumbai for cancer treatment from all over the country.

Display at this photography exhibition

My first solo photography exhibition was titled “My Pictures with their little stories“.  This title reflects the philosophy for my photography. I shoot a picture only when there is a story which I would like to tell. I prefer to tell that story through pictures and with very few words. I had presented limited edition prints on canvas as well as archival paper. All were printed in 12 colours. Some were open edition prints as well. This was a collection which was handpicked from my work of several years. It was a great feeling to receive a positive feedback from people of varied backgrounds and interests. This included friends and visitors from the fields of art, media, public life, corporate world, social work, education, healthcare and more. The icing on the cake was that world photography day was celebrated during the duration of this photography show.

Gratitude

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all those who supported this project in so many ways. Several friends and well wishers came over and appreciated the pictures that I presented. A large number of visitors purchased pictures from this photography exhibition. Several pictures received repeat orders. I would like to specifically thank Shri. Ramkrishna Telang. It was his idea that I should consider dedicating this show as a fundraiser for Nana Palkar Smruti Samiti, Mumbai. I would also like to mention Dr. Shaila Telang, Mrs. Nina Rege of Nehru Centre, artist Chitra Vaidya and her family, all trustees and people associated with Nana Palkar Smruti Samiti, my family and of course several other friends and well wishers who visited this week long photography exhibition.

Feature in Business India about this photography exhibition

My sincere thanks to Mr. Sekhar Seshan, Consulting Editor, Business India, who wrote this article about my photography exhibition which was a fundraiser for nana Palkar Smruti Samiti, Mumbai.

Pictures from the exhibition at Nehru Centre Mumbai

Shri. Yashwant Shirwadkar is well known for his paintings of Varanasi (Banaras). Indiaart Gallery has had a long relationship with Shri. Yashwant and Smt. Yamini Shirwadkar. It in unfortunate that he is no longer with us to see this throwback picture.

Shri. Aku Jha was an accomplished artist and a good friend. He made it a point to visit every exhibition that I presented at Mumbai – whether it was my personal photography exhibition or painting exhibitions of artists I worked with as well as “Khula Aasmaan (खुला आसमान)” exhibitions of children’s art. Will miss him in all future shows and events that we will do at Mumbai. He is no more with us.

Mrs. Nina Rege has very capably looked after Nehru Centre Art Gallery as the director all these years. She has nurtured and built the reputation for this beautiful gallery. I was happy that this was the venue for my first solo photography exhibition.

It was Shri. Ramkrishna Telang who put me in touch with Nana Palkar Smruti Samiti, Mumbai who are doing great selfless work of providing accomodation to cancer patients and their families who have to travel to Mumbai for their treatment. I am also thankful to Dr. Shaila Telang for her support.

Artist Chitra Vaidya and her family were a big support as always, for my first solo photography exhibition. It was a pleasant coincidence that world photography day was celebrated during the duration of this week long exhibition. Chitra has been an important part of “Khula Aasmaan (खुला आसमान)” project since its inception and has played a key role in its growth.

Raut family, who have been family friends for several years, came over and enjoyed the exhibition.

Shri. Ashok Panvalkar, then chief editor of Maharashtra Times, found time from his hectic schedule, to visit this exhibition. He saw the potential of “Khula Aasmaan (खुला आसमान)” even when it was in its nascent stage and encouraged me to take it to bigger heights. In fact he was the first one to suggest that it should be a global project and not confined to India.

Well known artist and author Shri. Suhas Bahulkar found time to visit this exhibition. See the video to listen to what he has to say about this exhibition.

Artist Milburn Cherian has been a friend whose art I have always appreciated. She has also been a jury member for several art contests of “Khula Aasmaan (खुला आसमान)”. It was nice of her to come over and visit the exhibition.

Artist Ami Patel is someone who keeps experimenting with diverse mediums and techniques. Her mix media creations using copper, wood, canvas, aluminium and many other materials are a visual treat. Here she is at the exhibition in conversation with Gauri Ketkar and others.

Ashok Bharadwaj, a friend who is a senior corporate executive, found time to be at my exhibition.

B. S. Shashidhar, friend from college days in Delhi, surely drops in at each of the exhibitions that I do at Mumbai – whether it is my personal show, a painting exhibition that Indiaart has presented or children’s art exhibition of “Khula Aasmaan (खुला आसमान)”.

It was my privilege to have Ar. Sudhir Jambhekar, a well known architect from New York, to visit my exhibition. Happy that few of my pictures are in his collection.

Shri. Manohar Godse is a well known badminton coach at Mumbai. With tremendous dedication, he has been organising badminton tournaments for several years. Godse family and my family have had close association which dates back to two generations. Here he is with son Jayant.

Shri. Kishor Randiwe is a senior artist with whom Indiaart has had a long relationship. Several years ago, at my request, he created a big series of paintings on Himalayas. Here he is with wife Varsha, who is an artist herself.

Indiaart Gallery has had a long association with Senior artist Dr. Nalini Bhagwat who taught art history at Sir J. J. School of Art, Mumbai. I was happy to have her over with her sister to see my first solo photography exhibition “My pictures with their little stories”

Prof. Yashwant Pitkar, an old friend and a former director at Sir J. J. School of Architecture would never miss any of the exhibitions that I presented. He has also been one of the jury members for some of the quarterly contests of Khula Aasmaan.

Dr. Madhav Sathe is an anaesthetist and actively involved with The Bombay Mothers and Children Welfare Society which celebrated its centenary last year.  His visit to this exhibition which was a fundraiser was a big support.

Shri. Ramkrishna Telang and Aalok Sathe with Shri. Jayesh Thakkar and his colleague from nana Palkar Smruti Samiti, Mumbai

Brig. Abhay Bhat, friend from school, visited many exhibitions which I presented at Mumbai while he was posted at Mumbai. His father Shri. Anant Bhat, a hobby artist, accompanied Abhay on these visits.

Artist Manisha Patil was back after hectic travels but managed to visit the exhibition. So nice of her to do that.

Indiaart Gallery has had a long association with artist Vijay Kulkarni known for his Ajantha paintings. We presented a few shows of his Ajantha series which had beautiful portrayal of Gautam Buddha.

It was nice to have banker and artist Anuj Malhotra visiting the exhibition.

Artist Vipta Kapadia visited the exhibition with her husband. Nice of her to have dropped in.

Radhesh Joshi, another school friend who had a long career with Air India, visited the exhibition with wife Sujata.

It was quite a surprise (and a pleasant one at that) to see supercop Mr. Julio Ribeiro and Mrs. Ribeiro visit the exhibition.

It was good to have Prof. Sachin Patwardhan from IIT Bombay to have come over to see the exhibition.

Chimay Karandeekar came over from Pune to see this exhibition.

Saify Akolawala and Shriniwas Gadre also came over from Pune to see the exhibition. Very nice of them to do that.

Satish Ambe’s visit was a pleasant surprise.

School friend Milind Joshi cane over with family.

See video of comments by distinguished guests

 

See photo features by Milind Vishwas Sathe

See the blog – My pictures with their little stories