SAMEER RAICHUR
SAMEER RAICHUR
Book lover. Inquisitive mind. Cultural heritage. Gentleness."
ABOUT SAMEER RAICHUR
LOCATION: Based in Bangalore, India.
Sameer is an independent photographer, surrounded by the nostalgic stories of the people and the roots of his country. He has an affinity for documenting socio-cultural practices in urban and rural India. Sameer is particularly drawn to traditions that are threatening to become extinct with the pervasive spread of globalism. He is interested in design, artisanship, and in love with the persistence of movies and fine-art photography.
EXHIBITIONS & AWARDS
EXHIBITIONS:
— Forum art gallery, Chennai; Feb 22 - Mar 24. Chennai Photo Biennale (solo), 2019
— An Lanntair Arts Centre - Stornoway, Scotland; 7th Aug - 29th September. Focus India, 2017 - 2018 Document shortlist Exhibition (group), 2017
— Max Mueller Bhavan / Goethe Institut, Bangalore. November 6-18, (group), 2015
— Bhau Daji Lad Museum, Mumbai. Focus Photography Festival - ‘Call for Entries’ exhibit (group), 2015
— 1 Shanti Road, Bangalore. ‘Roti Kapda aur Makaan’ - The Essentials of living July, (group), 2013
AWARDS:
—Toto Funds of the Arts, Emerging photographer of the year, 2015
RESIDENCY:
— BangaloREsidency-Expanded supported by the Goethe Institut at basis e.V. Frankfurt2019 Forum Art Gallery residency in association with Chennai Photo Biennale, awardee, 2020
MYNT.ERVIEW
Your art is…
a celebration of the mundane and forgotten
Name something you love, and why.
Books because reading helps you to train your intuition
Could you eat cheesecake for a whole week?
No
Analog or Digital?
Digital
Where do you go when you want to be with you?
Out into nature. I like going on hikes in the hills. Books also help me achieve this state of mind.
Tell us something about your education…
I actually came to photography in a roundabout way. I studied to become a lawyer and those were 5 pretty difficult years. Luckily, I got the chance to study photography after I quit my law job. Learning photography came more naturally and I was a lot happier doing that.
A question that moves you right now
What is my responsibility as an artist during such a grim moment in history.
What was the weirdest encounter, the craziest adventure, or the most beautiful moment you experienced on a shoot?
When an eagle swooped down and tapped me on the head twice while we were shooting on a rooftop.
What is more important to you: Form or content?
Content
What part of the human face is your favorite?
The eyes
Where does your inspiration live?
Everywhere
What would you do if you weren't afraid?
Live a nomadic life
Featured Collection
View all
Church - Sameer Raichur
Regular price 150.00 EUR
Tax included.
Shipping calculated at checkout.
In stock. Exclusive edition of 50 pieces.
This art photography by Sameer Raichur is part of the exclusive collaboration between WLP and the digital art gallery mynt.art.
Tamil Nadu, India I 2018 - A forlorn Church by the side of the road in Manalurpettai, Tamil Nadu.
A limited edition is the fixed number of copies for one individual artwork indicating how often it exists worldwide. Each print comes with a Certification of Authenticity hand signed by the artist.
The art is available in various sizes and in the following materials:
High-quality pigment print on fine art paper of the Hahnemühle brand
Original photo-print on 3mm alu-dibond with a matted finish
Photo print mounted on 3mm alu-dibond and sealed by a 2mm acrylic glossy glass
Chariots of Frolic #5 - Sameer Raichur
Regular price 450.00 EUR
Tax included.
Shipping calculated at checkout.
In stock. Exclusive edition of 50 pieces.
This art photography by Sameer Raichur is part of the exclusive collaboration between WLP and the digital art gallery mynt.art.
Tamil Nadu, India I 2017 - Chariots of Frolic #1 'Kumaresan'
About the artists inspiration: "I vividly recall walking the streets of Arni, Tamil Nadu on a sweltering hot evening, temperatures here can touch 45 degrees Cº in the summer. I was on assignment to document the lives of Sari weaving artisans in this town that has become a cost-effective production outpost for the famous Kanchipuram sari. The sound of the looms I was around all day, was still ringing in my ears when I encountered my first chariot of frolic – loosely translated from its Tamil name “Ullasa ratham”."
A curious juxtaposition of the medieval and postmodern, the vehicle was essentially an iconic Fiat Premier-Padmini car modified to resemble a chariot. Anandan, the chariot’s driver informed me that his duty for the night was to pick up a bride and groom from a nearby Ganesha temple and drive them to their wedding reception hall.
An embodiment of Indian jugaad, these vehicles are spectacles of low-cost innovation. They are fabricated using discarded cars sold at scrap prices that are no longer in production. Fabricators then remove the rear seat to accommodate an elevated platform on which a sofa or chairs are placed for the bride and the groom to facilitate a wedding reception on wheels. The platform has an ornate background referred to locally as a ‘disco’ which is made of papier-mâché decoration around a fiberboard housing LED or tungsten bulbs. The lighting is powered by a generator tucked away in the trunk of the car.
The vehicles are photographed at night to accentuate its most unique feature –the ‘disco’. Considering they are usually observed in crowded processions, I consciously presented these cars devoided of human presence. The quiet settings are a tranquil remnant of the chaotic celebrations that the vehicles facilitated.
A limited edition is the fixed number of copies for one individual artwork indicating how often it exists worldwide. Each print comes with a Certification of Authenticity hand signed by the artist.
The art is available in various sizes and in the following materials:
High-quality pigment print on fine art paper of the Hahnemühle brand
Original photo-print on 3mm alu-dibond with a matted finish
Photo print mounted on 3mm alu-dibond and sealed by a 2mm acrylic glossy glass