Raihan Vadra’s photography exhibition, ‘No Idea is Final’, which was caught in the crosshairs of the Bikaner House management last month, will open on December 11 at the Bangalore International Centre (BIC), HT has learnt.
Vadra, the son of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and businessman Robert Vadra, said he is still working out which — and how many — photographs will be displayed at the BIC. “I was already taking the show to BIC and the dates were booked even before the Delhi exhibition,” the 26-year-old said.
“Since this is my first exhibition in Bengaluru, I want to show the range of works, and not just make it about the pieces that were taken down [by the Bikaner House management].” He confirmed that a significant number of the works to be displayed will be those that were taken down.
An exhibition of 104 images of wildlife and street photography shot over four years was to be shown at New Delhi’s Bikaner House between October 22 and 25. Hours before the preview on October 21, the venue asked Raihan Vadra to remove 74 photos. Many of them were shot in the past six months and documented the protests against the Election Commission of India in the Capital this year.
Raihan Vadra issued a statement pointing out that the Bikaner House management “raised objections towards the ‘political nature’ of the protest images”.
{{/usCountry}}Raihan Vadra issued a statement pointing out that the Bikaner House management “raised objections towards the ‘political nature’ of the protest images”.
{{/usCountry}}“[They] informed me that I would have to remove all works deemed by [Rohit Kumar, the principal resident commissioner] to be political by 3.30pm today, failing which the show would stand cancelled,” Vadra’s statement, which was circulated at the opening, said.
The management said in a statement the following day: “Certain photographs displayed … (were) found to be inconsistent with the policy of the Bikaner House Management Society. Accordingly, their removal was requested.”
It added that Bikaner House is a public cultural institution dedicated to the promotion of art and culture. “The exhibition and associated activities must comply with Bikaner House Management Society Policy. The photographs that are consistent with the Society’s policy have been continued to be displayed.”
Bikaner House is owned and managed by the Rajasthan government.
Raihan Vadra complied with the venue’s demand and removed the images. “I felt it was necessary to go ahead with the rest of the exhibition because of all the work that was put in not just by me but by those working with me,” he said.
Given the dimensions of the exhibition space at BIC, it is unlikely that Raihan Vadra will be able to exhibit all 104 pieces that were meant to be shown in New Delhi.
HT has reached out to BIC for confirmation and is awaiting its response.