Dev Dhunsi → Encircling Stories

Though a sense of curiosity sublimation print on textiles contributes on creating a symbiotic relationship between the two mediums of photography and textile. These visual fragments are then shipped back to India, where a fellow photographer was invited to reimagine them in new cultural contexts. The resulting images offer a commentary on the intricate chain of distribution that links us all, underscoring the interconnectedness of our world.

The landscapes surrounding the several train journeys got directly affected in September 2020, when the Modi government brought in the Indian Agricultural Act 2020, wherein the government tried to privatize several aspects of the Indian agricultural marketplace. The Farmers (mainly big farmers with big landholdings) of Punjab and Haryana retaliated. The protestors blocked the main road connecting the capital New Delhi to the northern part of the country. In all this, one discourse was missing and it went un-discussed. No weight or time was given to the discourse of reforming the social structure of the villages. Where Dalits are still toiling, most of them without wages, in the farms of the protesting landlords.

This photobook has not only become about the external world; it's also about personal connections and childhood memories. Throughout my life, a local newspaper from India has found its way to my parents home in Norway. While the written language remained a barrier, the images and visual illustrations within those pages became a source of play in understanding and searching for connection.