East or West, Bengal is the best!

East or West

Bengal is the Best!

Ujwala Prabhu

I grew up in West Bengal and now live in Bangladesh which was formerly known as East Bengal. Having lived and visited many cities I can easily say ­ East or West, Bengal is the best!

Familiarity with the people, their culture and all of that is an inherent part of me now. There may be other places which have had their charms and taken my heart for a while but it always returns to Bengal.

People, their moods, expressions, interactions and emotions are an ongoing source of curiosity and interest to me. What I’m searching for is their inner personalities, their thoughts and there are stories I build around them as I work. I like portraying feelings of people when they are alone, lost in their thoughts, caught unawares. Those are the special moments that appeal to me most. I love to experiment and while I use a variety of medium ranging from oil, charcoal, printmaking, clay and the digital medium. Photography is a recent addition. Regardless, my focus remains fixed on the human figure.

The exciting part about SoFoBoMo is not only in the taking of Photographs but in putting it all together into a book. I'm learning about Scribus for the first time in the bargain. The Photographs may not be upto the mark in terms of quality but I hope they convey my feelings on the subject.

The images that follow have been taken in both Bangladesh and West Bengal. Mostly within the city limits of Dhaka and Kolkata.

The focus has been on the rural and working people with whom I feel a kinship I cant explain. I feel that they have lesser layers and facades. They share and show what they feel. They have learnt to find happiness within the means they have. And I feel honoured when I can share these moments with them. I hope you enjoy the images.

Copyright Š Ujwala Prabhu 2009 http://www.ujwalaprabhu.com