Shots Photography

Stop Parking Domain Names
Powered by WhyPark.com
 

Hello From Ottawa - Part 11- The Canadian Museum Of Contemporary Photography Featuring Sunil Gupta And The Challenges Of Immigration

My schedule in Ottawa this past weekend was extremely compressed, but there was one place I wasn?t going to miss: the Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography. As a person with no formal background, yet a keen interest in the visual arts and photography, I have been wanting to visit this museum for a long time. And my Internet research revealed that the Museum is featuring a very special exhibition right now: two photographic series by Sunil Gupta, an Indian-born Canadian citizen, exploring issues of identity, culture and the immigrant experience.

Let me start first with the Museum itself, a rather unique venue in Ottawa with a long history. The Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography began its life all the way back in World War II as the Still Photography Museum of the National Film Board. Its activities include collecting, publishing and organizing traveling exhibitions and educational programs to foster the efforts and development of Canadian photographers.

It?s a unique place in a unique venue: the Museum is housed in a former railroad tunnel of the Grand Trunk Railroad. It is accessible through an above-ground entrance immediately west of the Fairmont Chateau Laurier Hotel in downtown Ottawa, and an elevator takes you 2 storeys down from street level. As a former railroad tunnel, the Museum's unique dimensions won?t come as a surprise: it measures 166 meters (545 feet) in length by only 17 meters (56 feet) in width. The facility is more like a 32-storey high-rise building laid on its side.

Even constructing the Museum entailed significant engineering challenges: due to the narrowness of the site, squeezed in between the Chateau Laurier on one side and the Rideau Canal on the other, construction trucks had to back into the site, edging their way half a mile along a road carved in the limestone and shale cliff face.

But I wasn?t only there to explore the unique architectural features of the gallery. The main reason for my visit was an exhibition by Sunil Gupta, whose 2 collections shed light on the immigrant experience.

Sunil Gupta was born in New Delhi in 1953 and came to Montreal with his parents at age 15. Over the years he has also lived in New York City and London and just recently moved back to India. Originally he studied accounting, but later moved into visual arts and photography.

Until April 23, 2006, the Museum features two highly personal collections by this artist. Social Security (1988) features Sunil Gupta?s family photographs and his mother?s words to shed light on the story of one immigrant family in Montreal. His family came from a middle-class background in India, and after their move to Canada they had significant adjustment problems. Sunil?s father was forced to work as a security guard and the family experienced a loss of financial security and social status. This was complicated by the fact that his parents were already in their fifties by the time of the move which made integration into Canadian culture even more difficult.

This photo collection illustrates the fact that his parents had traditional desires for both Sunil and his sister, and neither of the two children fulfilled the role expectations put upon them by their Indian parents. Sunil?s sister ended up marrying an American, something the parents did not support. Sunil himself is actually gay and had several long-term relationships with men, much to the chagrin of his parents. Neither offspring fulfilled the role of marrying an Indian spouse and creating a traditional Indian family. As such, the move to Canada was a big disappointment, particularly for Sunil?s father.

Incidentally Sunil?s father died of a heart attack on a Montreal street in 1986. He wasn?t found until several days later. One particularly gripping photograph shows Sunil?s father?s belongings, money, identification, credit cards, that were removed from his body after his death. It took the authorities three days to notify the family, presumably because his father was assigned to the ?immigrant? section of the morgue. Nobody had bothered to check his identification and call his family, even though his father had all the necessary papers on him. And his social security card had been neatly cut in half.

Sunil Gupta?s second photo collection Homelands (2001 to 2003) includes large-scale diptychs that juxtapose images from his experience in the West with images from his home country in India. His exhibition explores highly personal topics, such as Gupta?s homosexuality and the fact that he is HIV positive. Gupta was diagnosed with HIV in 1995.

For me the most powerful image of the collection includes Gupta in front of a mirror, stark naked, facing the camera, with a sliver of his mirror image showing right next to an image of India. My museum guide indicated that Sunil has actually commented that he lives right in that narrow line between East and West.

It seems that his cultural identity is tenuous at best and Sunil decided recently to move back to India to explore his own cultural background. It is significant to mention that India does not accept homosexuality, does not offer treatment required for AIDS patients and doesn?t even officially acknowledge the existence of the disease. In addition India harbours a host of dangerous viruses that pose a constant threat to Sunil?s health. Even beyond that Sunil indicated that he lives in constant fear that his medical condition will be discovered and that he will be deported from India.

Both of Sunil Gupta?s series of photographs are highly personal, where he exposes himself (literally), his family members and the dynamics of an immigrant family in North America. His images use colour, atmospheric influences and juxtaposition to express symbolism and speak of an ongoing struggle to find his own personal, sexual and cultural identity at the confluence of Eastern and Western cultures.

For me personally, Sunil Gupta?s autobiographical photographs were almost shocking in their candor and openness. They talk about the cultural pressures and expectations that face second generation immigrants growing up in a liberal Western environment. Juxtaposed to this external environment is their traditional Eastern family milieu with its strict rules and role expectations, almost imposing a schizophrenic existence on their offspring.

It was rather surprising to me that Sunil Gupta decided recently to move back to a country where, as a gay HIV-positive individual, he is not accepted and it speaks to his overwhelming urge to reconnect with his roots.

The Canadian Museum of Photography is currently also hosting another installation: Imprints: Photographs by Michel Campeau, Marlene Creates, Lorraine Gilbert, Sarah Anne Johnson, and Sylvie Readmen features 19 recent acquisitions that explore nature and its forces as they intersect with the human world.

For the entire article including photos please visit http://www.travelandtransitions.com/stories_photos/ottawa_museum_photography.htm

Susanne Pacher is the publisher of Travel and Transitions (http://www.travelandtransitions.com), a popular web portal for unconventional travel and cross-cultural connections. Check out our brand new section featuring FREE ebooks about travel at http://www.travelandtransitions.com/free_ebooks.htm.

This Site Is For Sale

MORE ARTICLES:


The Wedding Crasher: Dealing With The Drama
No wedding ever goes perfect there is always some kind of setback, whether that is the bride or groom arriving at the church or the registry office late, the cake falling and smashing, the flowers not arriving, the best man having to cancel at the last minute or worst of all the wedding crasher!!! Wedding crashers can?t be avoided, they either mess up your ceremony or they attack at the reception either way it certainly does add a bit of uniqueness to you wedding!

Wedding at Meadowbrook Pointe? I Do
Meadowbrook Pointe is more than a place to live; it's a lifestyle - thanks, in large part, to the community's splendid clubhouse. This clubhouse will be the setting for the marriage of two new residents, Sherry Mendelson and Arnie Scher. Sherry and Arnie decided to purchase a new home at Meadowbrook Pointe in which they would begin their new life as husband and wife together. But when they visited the Clubhouse, they were moved by its elegance and romance and almost immediately asked to be the first wedding to be held there.

David's Bridal Expands Online Assortment of Invitations, Gifts & Wedding Related Items
Nation’s leading bridal retailer’s Web site broadens product offerings, categories; site caters to brides planning their wedding, as well as couple’s family & friends.

How To Afford A Dream Wedding
A wedding is cherished, but it can also be a very expensive affair. Some couples may believe that their dream ceremony is out of reach and budget, but that doesn?t necessarily have to be the case. If you follow a few simple guidelines, you may just find that a dream wedding doesn?t have to be a fantasy. In fact, you can make it a reality with the proper amount of time and planning.

Planning For Your Dallas Wedding
Many happy returns for the betrothed couple! Before you begin a lifetime together, all of the plans related to your wedding day must still be worked out. The sooner you begin the process, the less you will need to concern yourself with the details later.

Start a Photography Business from Home
Anyone with the right camera equipment, and the necessary skills can set up a home business, marketing photography. You need only to convert a room of your house into an office, and then you can work immediately.

DIY Wedding Flowers Blossom into Savings for Brides
Wedding Flowers-DIY gives brides-to-be an alternative to expensive florists and high-priced blooms by offering step-by-step training and an on-call experienced professional florist to assist the ultimate do-it-yourself bride.

Wedding Favors
Your Wedding Favors are a little bit of your wedding that your guests get to take away with them.What to hand out? What says my wedding? Is it sugared almonds or posies of flowers? These days the sky is the limit when it comes to Wedding Favors.

WeddingPlanner777.com Launches Online Community for 07/07/07 Brides
The only website dedicated to July 07, 2007 weddings connects 07/07/07 brides by sharing ideas, journals, resources and more.

Choosing the Perfect Wedding Anniversary Gifts
Each and every tie we have in our life creates a noteworthy remembrance and several peculiar affairs. They can be celebrated during anniversaries and birthdays.

Wedding Decor Idea
When you plan your wedding decors, it is important to pay special attention to detail. Wedding decors can make or break the overall appeal of your wedding. It should be a reflection of who you and your husband are. The colors of your decor should complement each other, just as it should with your backdrop. They can lend a few special touches to the entire wedding, and help create a special atmosphere.

8 Tips For Saving At Least $3000 On Your Wedding Budget
So you're finally getting married? Congratulations! This should be one of the happiest days in your life. But to be honest - it's also going to be one of the most costly days in your life. If you haven't figured it out yet - weddings are expensive. The cost of a wedding can very from $5000 to even $100,000 and more, if you're really rich and willing to put in that kind of money. The average wedding in the US, though, costs about $20,000 (for around 150 guests). A hefty sum, especially for a couple that is young in most cases, and doesn't really have that kind of money to spend.

How to Chose Stock Photography for your Web Site
So you've decided to take the plunge. You know that stock photography is an effective tool for your web business, but where do you start and how do you choose the stock photo that's right for you.

Writing Wedding Vows – Ideas That Will Help You Express What You Truly Feel
More and more, couples are choosing to write their own wedding vows. Although many people believe that this is the best way to truly express their personal beliefs and feelings, often they are unsure about how to begin and what to include.

WeddingBands123.com, Inc.® Launches New Design Web Site Featuring Over 900 Unique Wedding Bands
WeddingBands123.com, Inc.® and the Internet web site www.weddingbands123.com were created and founded by the famous New York City resident Ron Armani.

Powered by WhyPark.com | Site Map | Home