#FaunaOfMirrors: The library of Babel

Here there are innumerable old books and books within books

By Chennai Photo Biennale

Chennai Photo Biennale 2019

The Library of Babel by Chennai Photo BiennaleChennai Photo Biennale

Venue: Madras Literary Society, Chennai

Madras Literary Society was one of the key venues for CPB2019. This 200-year old institution founded by Sir John Henry Newbolt, Chief Justice of Madras in 1817, is one of the oldest lending libraries in India. 

Privation (Installation View) (2001) by Angela GrauerholzOriginal Source: Artist Website

Exhibiting Artists

Angela Grauerholz | Germany
Liz Fernando | United Kingdom
Puttu Sayoga | Indonesia

Privation (Installation View) (2001) by Angela GrauerholzOriginal Source: Artist Website

Privation

By Angela Grauherholz (DE) 

For this project, Angela scanned the front and back covers, of a selected number of the books that were damaged by fire, leaving their content either hidden from view, or, at times, only a title, a word, or part of an image was visible. 

Using the scanner as camera, the resulting digital images induced her to contemplate—and eventually gain a more profound understanding—of the regenerative aspects of ‘loss’. Read more 

Passage of Time (Intallation View) (2016) by Liz FernandoOriginal Source: Artist Website

Passage of Time

By Liz Fernando (UK)

To access archival data in this perfectly preserved form connects in a fundamental way with Liz’s own research. It surrounds the idea that the objective of a photograph in South Asia ponders an evolving interplay between its fragile and fugitive existence. 

Passage of Time (2016) by Liz FernandoOriginal Source: Artist Website

In opposition to her European place of birth, the tropical humidity of the place of Liz’s ethnic origin, leads especially the object of a colour photograph, into a painful slow and unstoppable deterioration process until it vanishes completely; as though it had never existed. Read more

Don Quixote of Literacy (Intsallation view) (2015) by Puttu SayogaOriginal Source: Artist Website

Don Quixote of Literacy

By Puttu Sayoga (IDN)

Photography, for Putu Sayoga, is a medium for storytelling. He is therefore interested in the photo essay genre which uses several photos to tell a story. 

His work is more into street photography style influenced by Henri Cartier-Bresson. In this work, he explores the story of a horse-caretaker named Ridwan Sururi, who uses his horse as a mobile library for kids in a remote village in Central Java, Indonesia. Read more

Guided tour at Madras Literary Society (2019) by Chennai Photo BiennaleChennai Photo Biennale

CPB2019 Programs at Madras Literary Society

CPB2019 offered the visitors an engaging, interactive experience at the Biennale by organising various activities.

Curators' Walk, Madras Literary Society (2019) by Chennai Photo BiennaleChennai Photo Biennale

Curators' Walk

The Madras Literary Society is a treasure trove of archaic books and venerable first editions from the 16th century. Pushpamala N walked us through this beautiful venue and shared her ideas behind the site-specific installations for 'The Library of Babel' exhibition.

Guided tour at Madras Literary Society (2019) by Chennai Photo BiennaleChennai Photo Biennale

CPB2019 Guided Tours

With the help of several volunteers, guided tours were organised to walk the visitors through the site and answer their queries.

Curators' Walk, Madras Literary Society (2019) by Chennai Photo BiennaleChennai Photo Biennale

Pushpamala N with the Chennai Photo Biennale Founders, and displaying artists at CPB2019 

Know more about the artists and their works at Chennai Photo Biennale website.

Click here to listen to the CPB 2019 Artist Talks.

CPB2019 Programs
CPB Foundation organised curated walks and guided tours and conducted various workshops, photo walks, artist talks, films on photography and curated projections on the beach during the 2019 Biennale.

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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