Elise Foster Vander Elst, one of the organisers of the FOCUS Photography Festival Mumbai 2015, says that with it's 'crossover' theme, the festival has something for everyone
An untitled work by Arpan Mukherjee
Two years ago, the city saw its first ever photography festival. And this year, FOCUS Photography Festival Mumbai 2015 is back. Bigger? Better? Both, actually. And that's what the festival, supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies and in collaboration with education partner, the Mohile Parikh Center, hopes to be.
An untitled work by Arpan Mukherjee
With over 30 exhibitions, workshops and educational events planned across the city between March 12 -26, 2015, there is a lot in store for everyone, as arts producer, Elise Foster Vander Elst tells us.
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Excerpt from an interview:
Q. How was the response to the festival last time? What have you planned for Mumbai this time?
A. When we started in 2013, the idea was to organise the festival every two years and to keep making it bigger and better. This year, we received more than 126 entries from across the world and selected 20 out of those. The works will be displayed across venues such as Colaba, Kala Ghoda, Lower Parel, Bandra, Khar and Vikhroli.
Q. Can you tell us a little about the theme — Crossover?
A. We picked 'Crossover' as the theme, as it's broad and photographers can interpret it in different ways. It also ensures that no two ideas are the same, but they all come back to crossing over in some way, whether it's gender, family, politics or boundaries. That's the wonderful thing about this theme — there's something for everyone to look forward to.
Q. What kind of response have you received from the general public, when it comes to photography?
A. I think one of the reasons why we, as a team, and personally, love photography, is because it's quite accessible. People really get it fast because of its inclusive nature. People feel confident and comfortable around photography. For the general public, the vast array of work on display provides a platform for various kinds of discussions and for budding photographers, it is a chance to showcase their work.
Q. Whose work are you really excited about?
A. There are so many wonderful photographers, but I'm really looking forward to seeing Arpan Mukherjee's photographs on display. In today's day and age when everything's going digital, he's used a 19th century printing technique and the results are stunning.
For more information, log on to www.focusfestivalmumbai.com
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