A visual representation of Semmencherry’s working class

There are a lot of Dalits and fishermen in this part of the city and they had an interesting story to share. Around 26,000 people live in Semmencherry and most of them belong to the unorganised sector. “I wanted to tell the stories of the oppressed through visual representation. Thozhamai, an NGO working among the people in Semmencherry, helped us find ten students who were interested in photography.

After we trained them with the basics of photography, three of them — K Vinnarasu, K Saran Raj and M Ganesh Kumar — showed interest to learn further. We thought it would be easier for them to learn the grammar and skills if they photographed their own surroundings. That is, it would be a lot easier for them if they photographed their own worlds, in which they live and pass through every day. 

That’s how this process started. This was a mutually learning experience. Since the students are from the area, it was easy to understand the lives of the people a bit closer and dearer,” says Deepak.  With the help of the three students, Deepak put together a photography exhibition titled ‘From Semmencherry’ at Lalit Kala Akademi. The photographs have presented the people from the area in a different and raw perspective.

It is often said that art is universal. That seems to be a rather vague statement. Especially, when it is not spoken that who defines art, who gets to make it and who gets to sell it. “As we all know, for a very long time now, a select group of people has defined art. They have made us believe that only their sorrows, happiness, love, hatred, suffering and excitement form art. Only they have had the opportunity to use the tools to make art and even a living out of it. 

These select group of people who had limited understanding and livid experience about the happiness or the sufferings of the masses had spoken on behalf of them, without their consent. That gave rise to building blocks of stereotypes,” the cinematographer remarks.