0
- 0
0
"the work is an act of embodied activism, of listening to the body, listening to the earth and each other"
In this image from the series Fireflies (2019 – ongoing), Indian artist and activist Poulomi Basu reflects on experiences of trauma – particularly patriarchal violence – navigating the claustrophobia of home, dreams of freedom, defiance, and transcendence. In Basu’s own words, “the work is an act of embodied activism. It is an act of sharing one’s way of listening to the body, listening to the earth and each other, in a way that supports others to do the same."
Using the power of photography as a tool for storytelling, Basu amplifies women’s voices from the majority world and advocates for the rights of marginalised women. Inspired by magical realism, eco-feminism and dystopian science fiction, Basu carefully orchestrates her images against the celestial beauty of the natural world. She weaves together the real and the fantastical to create a charged psychological landscape: capturing moments of love and closeness, the intensity of traumatic memory, and experiences that cannot be put into words.
This work was developed in January 2020 while the artist was on the Autograph x Light Work residency and is now a part of Autograph’s collection.
Poulomi Basu (b. 1983, India) has become widely known for her influential photographic projects Blood Speaks, Centralia, and To Conquer Her Land, to name a few. Her first photobook Centralia was published by Dewi Lewis in 2020. The book and exhibition won the 2020 Rencontres d'Arles Discovery Award Jury Prize, and was shortlisted for the 2021 Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize.
Basu is a Sundance Fellow, National Geographic Explorer, and Magnum Foundation Social Justice Fellow. Her works are part of public collections, including Autograph, London (UK); Martin Parr Foundation (UK); Museum of Modern Art (Special Collections) (USA); Rencontres d’Arles (FR); Victoria and Albert (UK), amongst others.
You can follow Basu on Instagram, and see more of the artist's work on her website.
This photograph is in Autograph's permanent collection of photography, where it has been conserved and digitised
This work featured in the artist's solo exhibition of the same name at Autograph, London and will tour to East Gallery in Norwich in Autumn 2023
An interview with the artist exploring notions of trauma, self-care and worldbuilding in Fireflies
Read blog post | 9 min read
Poulomi Basu discusses her work which uses female-centred science fiction as inspiration to explore possible futures
Listen back | 72 minAutograph's Bindi Vora speaks with the artist in 2020 about telling stories of resistance and solidarity
Read blog post | 14 min read
Take a virtual tour of highlights from Basu's exhibition at Autograph
Take tour
Banner image: Poulomi Basu, from Fireflies, 2019 – ongoing.
© and courtesy the artist.
Other images on page: 1) Poulomi Basu, photograph by Maria Lax. 2) Installation image of Poulomi Basu: Fireflies. Exhibition at Autograph, London, 4 Mar – 4 Jun 2022. Curated by Bindi Vora. Photograph by Zoë Maxwell.
Autograph is a place to see things differently. Since 1988, we have championed photography that explores issues of race, identity, representation, human rights and social justice, sharing how photographs reflect lived experiences and shape our understanding of ourselves and others.
Donate
Join our mailing list
