While a few silk and cotton saris are hung from ceiling at the auditorium at Goethe Zentrum, others are lying on the chair. Dressed in a black jump suit, photographer Sarah Li walks around adjusting frames on the wall. It is a day before the inauguration of her first solo exhibition and also the screening of her documentary ‘Shanghai Dry.’ “These saris will cover the small space while screening,” she states.
Discovering the city
She spent two years on the streets of Hyderabad, discovering the city she had heard of in her childhood. “My father used to live here as a little boy with his cousins and siblings. His side of the family migrated to the UK while his uncle’s family lived here,” states Sarah adding, “He talked about kite festivals, milk from buffaloes, catapulting fruits. I grew up with this unknown world that was painted to me as a child.”
When she began working in Nepal, she took time off to come to India to meet her father’s cousins. “I got down at Nampally station and the cacophony of traffic and people hit me. My uncle took me to the places he and my father had grown up. There was a wave of emotion and realisation that I am part of this and my family is from here; I felt quite attached immediately,” she shares.
Inspiration
Although she has not studied films, she has a passion for them. While she worked with a director, she also learnt about the business of films. This experience helped when she produced six short films. Shanghai Dry Cleaners is an observational documentary about this old dry clean shop in Secunderabad. “When I sat in this small shop, I felt at home. I wanted to show the energy of the place,” she speaks of her inspiration. “The perception when you are travelling as a westerner to India is different. The truth and reality is humans are similar all over the world; They laugh, talk and share what they did last night. That was the joy I wanted to bring about and showcase that India isn’t always about rich and poor and temples and litter.”
Diverse facets
Her photography exhibition titled ‘None of My Business’ showcases people doing their jobs. About the title, she says, “Because they are all different types of businesses and trade. One meets a mirchi seller as well as an IT professional. These are the people who make the city what it is.”
She admits, choosing the 18 images among thousands was the hardest thing. Her focus is on the little things that most people don’t see. “We have left dirt in the corner because things aren’t polished and perfect in life,” she states showing a photograph of a barber shop. Images of a cobbler, a cheerful mirchi seller, doctor and a lady security guard with a banner ‘Sibbandi toh sahakarinchandi’ staring into the camera draws an instant appeal. The bustling energy of Hyderabad comes alive through the pictures.
Another interesting facet is that the prints have been mounted on a glass board and the glass has been scalped out at some portions. “The glass has been cut out; I believe we are all made of the same atoms. I wanted to put the glass to see how one views the reflection in the mirror and person in the photograph.”
The exhibition ends on September 18.