Bizarre and Beautiful

Rohit Chawla’s potshots at the world of fashion.

Photographer Rohit Chawla is not amused when people try to slot him as a fashion or fine art product. According to him, there are only two kinds of photographers—good or bad. “I don’t just shoot fashion. I shoot people, architectural spaces and cultures,” he says. His latest exhibition, The World of Wearable Art, is a heady blend of fashion, stunning landscapes and brilliant imagery. The photographs take you on a rollercoaster ride down a vibrant world where there is room only for imagination and creativity. The series was on display until recently at Lado Sarai, Delhi, and is currently on show at Volte Gallery, Mumbai.

Shot in New Zealand, the images have been juxtaposed against the spectacular landscape of the country. The exhibition derives its title from a Kiwi museum with the same name, devoted to wearable art and classic cars. For Chawla, the photographs are a rebellion against the inanity of the fashion world. “Magazines thought that only if they put bizarre clothes on their pages will people be interested. So, I decided to spoof this; I took the same over-the-top clothes and used them in my exhibition,” he says. Chawla doesn’t deny that being a fashion photographer is good baggage to have. “I have the utmost respect for people like Tarun Tahiliani and Rohit Khosla. However, my issue is with the mindset of the industry. I don’t want to spend my time worrying about a minuscule bag that won’t even be seen in the picture,” he explains.

Chawla is known for his minimalistic style, yet while attempting to recapture Klimt through his lens, he had to go to the other extreme. “Klimt is all about colour and embellishment. So I decided to attempt something drastically different,” he says.

Next up is Out of Fashion—a collection of the images he has shot over the past 20 years. “I am planning to hold the show in October. The images are not from the realm of fashion,” he says. Also on its way is a series on Cuba. “The idea is to always challenge myself and do something new. Every day is a new day,” says Chawla.

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