LIGHT OF MUSIC

Photojournalist K Ravishankaran has been shooting performing artists for about 15 years, and has captured almost all the leading artistes in the Indian classical scene.

His photo exhibition, titled Light of Music, was held at Vinyasa Art Gallery from 21st to 31 December 2000. The collection of photographs were of musicians and dancers, caught in action and some in lighter moods.

Ravishankaran is able to convey the excitement of a live performance with brilliant colours and exquisite framing. The facial expressions of the singers reveal the depth of their involvement in their art. Some of the masterpeices are Vocalist legend D K Pattamal straining to reach perfection, a series of frames showing Ghatam maestro Vikku Vinayakram throwing his Ghatam up in the air, Flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia performing, Sitar Maestro Ravi Shankar in concert, Music Critic Subbudu in a relaxed mood and Violinist Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan - his usual effervescent self. One rare photograph is of the great vocalist Maharajapuram Santhanam in a casual mood.

Ravishankaran has been working as independent photojournalist for the past 15 years and his works have featured in reputed magazines like Time, Washington Post, New York Times, Outlook, India Today and Business World. He has covered the December music festival in Chennai for many years and has compiled these pictures over a period of time.

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