River of Colour the India of Raghubir Singh by Raghubir Singh

by Raghubir Singh

Raghubir Singh (1942-1999) was one of the finest documentary photographers. He was born in Rajasthan, India, and for thirty years made countless personal journeys across the vast subcontinent. He travelled along the Ganges, toured the ghats and alleys of Benares and explored the cosmopolitan cities of Calcutta and Mumbai. The result was a series of vibrant photographs that capture the exuberant spirit and restless activity of his native India. Like his hero, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Singh always succeeded in getting into the heart of the scene and intuitively portraying it from the insider's point of view. In his engaging and informative introduction to River of Colour, the first ever retrospective of his work, Raghubir Singh explains what India means to him, focusing in particular on the importance of colour in India. Singh's instinctual affinity with colour is seen again and again in his pictures that follow. Arranged in eleven sections that depict aspects integral to Indian life, including the street, monuments, icons, water and pilgrimages, Singh's photographs reveal everything from the magical to the mundane, providing a comprehensive picture of the country that remains imprinted in the mind.

Genres: Photography, India, Art, Nonfiction, Travel

Hardcover

First published September 1, 1998

Reviews

[Chitra Divakaruni · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book, filled with sensitive and unusual portraits of India that will force you to reevaluate the country and the culture. Raghubir Singh has a unique way of seeing this complex land. He died soon after the book came out, so it contains his latest, most accomplished pieces. Worth buying for many reason: to display, to brag about, to share, to view, over and over, in silence and solitude, and to be transformed. Singh's evocative photographs inspired me to write a series of poems, published in my collection Leaving Yuba City. For the complete review that I did for the Los Angeles Times, go here: http://articles.latimes.com/1999/feb/...

[Nina Cast · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the photography captures everyday life, it's not stunning or engaging. He's supposed to be a much better photographer than this book would suggest - maybe he needs a better editor to choose from his historic photos for him, as he seems to be too close to the subject matter to be able to choose well himself.

[Kevin Bjorke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published years ago but also years after his early works like "Ganga," this volume really benefits from advances in printing made since his work first drew Big Attention in the 1960's and 70's. Some familiar photos from earlier works are quite transofrmed here, and we can see too the change in his stlye to increasingly subjective experience as he's overwhelmed and washed along on that River of Colour.

[Ясен В. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The foreword written by Raghubir himself is as captivating as some of his photos. He is an artist of colour indeed, even if I didn't love all of his images in this book. The sheer size of the photos is incredible, as this book is almost a meter wide when open.

[Jabberwocky Jab Jab · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have bought at least 5 copies of this book. One is with me the other 4 were given away to friends(non Indian). This remains my favourite book on India to gift to someone.

Capturing India is a tough task. Singh does it exceptionally well, either by cutting away the clutter or making the clutter integral part of the frame. No cliches, no glamorization either. The pictures just take you to the scene!

[William Ash · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing book of photography. This collection of work spans the career of Raghubir Singh. The subtle and profound nature of the photographs are worth the price. As a documentary of India in place and time, it is a rich volume. Singh's mastery of the discipline can be seen through his whole career. One of the few photography books I pick up time and again.