12 November 2022 /
F A C E S O F N A G A /
PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION / CREATING ART THROUGH LENS by ARTIST R. MANIVANNAN /
12 November 2022 – 11 December 2022 /
VENUE/ MAISON PERUMAL HOTEL & RESTAURANT- CGH EARTH/ PONDICHERRY /
SIRPI. PROF. Dr. V MAMALAIVASAGAN, Bharathiyar Palkalaikoodam inaugurated the Exhibition on Saturday, 12 November 2022 at 6 PM.
R. Manivannan, a visual artist and Fine-art travel documentary photographer from the historic city of Tanjore exhibits magnificent myriad beauty of our art, culture, rituals and lifestyle captured through his lens at Pondicherry now.
Manivannan, an artist and a professional photographer with a Post Graduation in Visual Arts hails from the historic city of Tanjore.
“Having born into a city that flaunts various heritage sites, monuments, and world-renowned temples, I was quite naturally fascinated by them at a young age and developed a taste for Aesthetics. Obviously, the best breeding place for an artist.
Art being the mother of photography, only the tools and techniques being different, I avowed to learn both. Thus starts my passionate journey as an artist as well as a photographer.
My primary interest is to capture the rich and diverse arts, architectures, cultures and heritages of India. My interests and works also include Architecture and monuments photography, Portraits, Street photography, Landscape photography, Travel photography and Fine-art and documentary photography.
I have travelled extensively across the length and breath of India to capture the diverse and magnificently rich cultures. I have captured through the photographic lens the alluring beauty of various heritage sites, monuments, and sculptures, which include Ajanta, Ellora, Sittannavasal, Humphi, and Jagannath temple.
I was really honoured when the government of Tamil Nadu chose me to send to capture the ‘kumbhmela’.
Also, capturing the Theyyam festival of Kerala, camel pushkar of Rajasthan, and the Hornbill ( the festival of festivals) of Nagaland were enthralling experiences to me.
I have documented the lifestyles of various Tribes across India, as I believe ‘Tribes are ‘living pre-history’ and their cultures are a repository of enormous cultural wealth,” says R. Manivannan.
In Nagaland, many festivals are there like Hornbill Festival which encourages and promotes harmony among diverse cultures that promotes folk music, crafts, food and much more. It is organized by State Tourism and Art & Culture Departments and also supported by the Union Government. The local people participate in the festivals with the aim of reviving and displaying their unique culture. Manivannan has travelled extensively in remote regions of Nagaland and captured the unique moments portraying festivity, interactions, richness of heritage, rituals, memories and many facets of tribal life and exhibits through “Faces of Naga”.
Manivannan has shown his photographs and Art works in several exhibitions. Recently he has conducted a Photography Exhibition on World Photography day at Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi inaugurated by renowned photographer Raghu Rai.
He is a life-time member of Indian National Trust for Arts and Cultural heritage (INTACH).
He has conducted many photography workshops and seminars for arts, architecture and visual communications. He also organises photography tours and conducts a commercial photography studio, ‘M2 Photography Wedding Studio’ in Tanjore.
Content & Images credit: R. Manivannan
