Abstract of the accomplished photographic work
“In ‘The Second Law’, Philippe Calia uses photography, video and text to manifest his own reading of Bombay / Mumbai. The work stems from years of observations of the city’s visual grammar, long walks in its streets, conversations with people met along the way, and encounters with numerous kinds of literature produced around it.
For the artist, photography is often a means to take notes of found sculptures and other readymades. Yet, through spontaneous, playful, and sometimes collaborative interventions in the street, Calia also devises his own ephemeral installations or happenings, which the camera helps in crystallising. This process culminates in elaborately staged scenes, shot inside historical buildings, as if it were a photographic negative of the street. In the manner of an analyst, Calia invites us to take a peek into Bombay’s subconscious, and to imagine with him what the city’s oneiric life could look like. The Second Law (re)traces the journey into one such dream.”
Description of the project you intend to pursue through the Prize
The project titled Heptanesia is essentially an attempt to draw a portrait of the city of Bombay/Mumbai using a new kind of photographic language. It contains images of various kind, ranging from observational street photography to more intentional staged compositions. While 2024 was dedicated fully to research, experimentation, and the production of some images, a first activation of this body of work has been presented this year at TARQ gallery (see above).
I have identified a series of historical buildings in which I plan to compose more of the ‘dreamscapes’: Edward Talkies, KR Cama Institute, The Institute Of Science, JN Petit Library, Adenwalla Baug, amongst others. In parallel, intend to continue to document the city’s daily life, as well as the ceaseless metamorphosis of its landscape. This will result in a unique archive/artwork on this overlooked cosmopolitan/harbour city, that is also the financial capital of India.