The Anglo - Indians
Photographs
From September 29th until December 15th, 2006 "The Anglo Indians, photographs from Dileep Prakash" will premier in Germany at Frankfurt's Goethe Institut.
The photographer Dileep Prakash has travelled 1000s of miles over the last two years to make portraits of India's 'Anglo-Indians'.
This term was first used in the 17th century to define mixed marriages between Indians and British or Europeans.
Composed in a relaxed manner, Dileep Prakash's images reveal a diversity of characters, from teachers to tea planters, from funeral directors to students and different generations, from children to grandparents.
Lifestyle is a key element to the cultural richness of this visual documentary.
How the subjects pose themselves within their living or work environments display a sense of dignity and honesty about their identity.
The settings disclose historical and religious ties, they expose the simplest means of home environment to the most elaborate.
Some home interiors are like intimate small museums of times past with historical family photographs, Christian motives and colourful Indian textiles.
The pink chiffon dress of an elderly lady tells of a traditional courting dance past in contrast to the younger tight t-shirt generation of today's club-scenes.
In its entirety this series takes the viewer on a personal journey throughout India, based on auto-biographical roots.
Dileep Prakash on his work: "My interest in the Anglo-Indian community developed out of my marriage to June (nee Davy), an Anglo-Indian from Jabalpur.
We've been married for 14 years and I have become a part of her family and extended community.
We have been witness to births and funerals, christenings and baptisms, marriages, May Queen balls, Christmas,
the fox trot & the jive, honky tonk music, frocks and hats, discussions on 'home' in England and the good old days, Sunday lunch of Ball curry and rice.
…..Over the years, I have observed a certain dichotomy within the community. There are those Anglo-Indians who have married into Hindu, Muslim and other communities and have assimilated into mainstream Indian society.
While several others continue to follow their traditions in relative isolation."
Dileep Prakash has been photographing for twenty years.
His early work included photo-essays for Indian newspapers and magazines and in 1992 he joined the news magazine, Business Today and later worked as the photo editor at Business World.
His fascination for steam locomotives led him to make large format images of the last remaining steam locomotives in India.
His work is represented by PhotoInk in India and is syndicated through Agentur Focus in Germany.
Celina Lunsford
We wish to thank
Goethe - Institut New Delhi for their help.
