The Home and the World
A View of Calcutta
Published on 13. November 2014
Book
Hardback
160 pages
978-0-300-20917-4 (ISBN)
Description
A portrayal of the unique and vibrant city of Calcutta, shown in an intriguing array of captivating and visually arresting photographs
Photographer Laura McPhee, noted for her stunning large-scale landscapes and portraits of the people who live and work in them, has been traveling to eastern India for over a decade. There she has devoted her perceptive vision to picturing layers of history, culture, religion, and class as they appear in private heritage homes and public markets, in lively street festivals, and in the faces of city dwellers in Calcutta (also known as Kolkata).
This exquisitely produced book features a selection of McPhee's works made in and around India's former capital. Here we glimpse courtyards, living spaces, temples, and altars as both vestiges of the past and elements of contemporary urban existence. McPhee's images sensitively penetrate the surface to show the blurred boundaries between social classes, the blending of public and private life, and the resonance between India and other parts of the world. Also included are a foreword by Amitav Ghosh on the historical divisions inherent in the city's culture and on the nature of McPhee's work, and an essay by art historian Romita Ray on the ways McPhee captures and distills the remnants of colonial Calcutta in her photographs of the contemporary city.
Photographer Laura McPhee, noted for her stunning large-scale landscapes and portraits of the people who live and work in them, has been traveling to eastern India for over a decade. There she has devoted her perceptive vision to picturing layers of history, culture, religion, and class as they appear in private heritage homes and public markets, in lively street festivals, and in the faces of city dwellers in Calcutta (also known as Kolkata).
This exquisitely produced book features a selection of McPhee's works made in and around India's former capital. Here we glimpse courtyards, living spaces, temples, and altars as both vestiges of the past and elements of contemporary urban existence. McPhee's images sensitively penetrate the surface to show the blurred boundaries between social classes, the blending of public and private life, and the resonance between India and other parts of the world. Also included are a foreword by Amitav Ghosh on the historical divisions inherent in the city's culture and on the nature of McPhee's work, and an essay by art historian Romita Ray on the ways McPhee captures and distills the remnants of colonial Calcutta in her photographs of the contemporary city.
Reviews / Votes
"McPhee's book is a loving portrait of the former capital of India, its architecture that remembers its history while embracing its future, its residents that line the streets, selling goods, tailoring dresses, delivering cargo."-Nicole Crowder, The Washington Post -- Nicole Crowder * The Washington Post * " . . . awash in colors, textures, and architectural details as it sweeps through extravagant mansions and crumbling dwellings."-Jan Gardner, Boston Globe -- Jan Gardner * Boston Globe *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Product notice
Cloth over boards
Illustrations
92 color illus.
Dimensions
Height: 305 mm
Width: 248 mm
Weight
1384 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-300-20917-4 (9780300209174)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Laura McPhee, professor of photography at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, has published her work extensively. Amitav Ghosh has published many novels, including River of Smoke, Sea of Poppies, and The Shadowlines. Romita Ray is associate professor of art history at Syracuse University and author of Under the Banyan Tree (Yale).