Social sculpture and 

political Icons

Art has never been the objective of public statuary in India, but politics is. 

State-sponsored memorials are unabashed political projects, 

and no party is an exception to this practice.

Social sculpture and political Icons

Photography © Abul Kalam Azad
30''x30''pigment prints
2014

Social sculpture and political Icons

Photography © Abul Kalam Azad

30''x30''pigment prints

2014

Social sculpture and political Icons

Photography © Abul Kalam Azad

30''x30''pigment prints

2014

Social sculpture and political Icons

Photography © Abul Kalam Azad

30''x30''pigment prints

2014

Social sculpture and political Icons

Photography © Abul Kalam Azad

30''x30''pigment prints

2014

'Kollywood'' / photography © Abul Kalam Azad / pigment prints 2014

'Kollywood'' / photography © Abul Kalam Azad / pigment prints 2014

Kollywood 2010-14

Tamil cinema  is a film industry based in Chennai, India, which produces feature films in the Tamil language. Most of the movie studios are located in Kodambakkam, also referred to as Kollywood, a portmanteau of Hollywood and Kodambakkam. Moving pictures have been exhibited in Chennai from 1882 onwards. The first silent movie in Tamil, Keechaka Vadham was made by R. Nataraja Mudaliar in 1916. The first talkie was a multi-lingual Kalidas which released on 31 October 1931, barely 7 months after India's first talking picture Alam Ara^[ By the end of the 1930s, the legislature of the State of Madras passed the Entertainment Tax Act of 1939. Tamil cinema later had a profound effect on other filmmaking industries of India, establishing Chennai as a secondary hub for Telugu cinema, Malayalam cinema, Kannada cinema, and Hindi cinema. In its modern era, Tamil films from Chennai have been distributed to various overseas theatres in Singapore, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Malaysia, Japan, Oceania, the Middle East, Western Europe, and North America.^[5] The industry also inspired filmmaking in Tamil diaspora populations in other regions, such as in Europe and Canada. ''Kollywood'' / photography © Abul Kalam Azad / pigment prints 2014

'Kollywood'' / photography © Abul Kalam Azad / pigment prints 2014

'Kollywood'' / photography © Abul Kalam Azad / pigment prints 2014

'Kollywood'' / photography © Abul Kalam Azad / pigment prints 2014

'Kollywood'' / photography © Abul Kalam Azad / pigment prints 2014

'Kollywood'' / photography © Abul Kalam Azad / pigment prints 2014

'Kollywood'' / photography © Abul Kalam Azad / pigment prints 2014

'Kollywood'' / photography © Abul Kalam Azad / pigment prints 2014

'Kollywood'' / photography © Abul Kalam Azad / pigment prints 2014

'Kollywood'' / photography © Abul Kalam Azad / pigment prints 2014

'Kollywood'' / photography © Abul Kalam Azad / pigment prints 2014

'Kollywood'' / photography © Abul Kalam Azad / pigment prints 2014

'Kollywood'' / photography © Abul Kalam Azad / pigment prints 2014

chemical process / sepia-toned / hand-colored man with tools / photography © Abul Kalam Azad / hand colored print 2005

man with tools / photography © Abul Kalam Azad 2005 / hand colored pigment print 60''x120''  

man with tools / photography © Abul Kalam Azad 2005 / hand colored pigment print 60''x120''  

man with tools / photography © Abul Kalam Azad 2005 / hand colored pigment print 60''x120''  

man with tools / photography © Abul Kalam Azad 2005 / hand colored pigment print 60''x60''  

 

Anil Dayanand / Photography © Abul Kalam Azad / silver bromied prints 1991 - 2012

Photo {bio} graphy

I know Anil since the late 80's. We call him Thumbs up… because he had 6 fingers in his right hand. When he was working in Botswana, he cut his 6th finger. We still call him Thumbs up…

Three years back Anil called me from Chennai. He was attending an art camp at Mahabalipuram. He asked, 'Abul, where are you?'. I said, 'I am in Tiruvannamalai'. He wanted to meet me. He came to Agni shylam and stayed with me for few days. We went to the marvelous contemporary time museum of art - the Arunachaleshwarar temple. He was moved by the architectural marvel and the magnificent Chola rock sculptures.

Anil is born in Kerala. At a very young age he decided to become an artist. In his early ages his interest was in different art practices, which also included martial art. He joined Trivandrum Arts college to do his bachelor degree. After that, he did his MA from Delhi college of art. During the 90's he became a editorial illustrator and his remarkable contribution to Sunday Observer and many other periodicals / newspapers is noted. He has been using video art, sculptures and has been performing in various galleries / other art venues through out the country. He has done several sculptures which are significant in the contemporary art practice. He also has been teaching in various art institutions in India and abroad. His interest in various art forms including photography, music, architecture and poetry is still alive and is reflected in his works.

 Anil Dayanand / Photography © Abul Kalam Azad / silver bromied prints 1991 - 2012

Anil Dayanand / Photography © Abul Kalam Azad / silver bromied prints 1991 - 2012

Anil Dayanand / Photography © Abul Kalam Azad / silver bromied prints 1991 - 2012

Anil Dayanand / Photography © Abul Kalam Azad / silver bromied prints 1991 - 2012

Anil Dayanand / Photography © Abul Kalam Azad / silver bromied prints 1991 - 2012

Anil Dayanand / Photography © Abul Kalam Azad / silver bromied prints 1991 - 2012

Anil Dayanand / Photography © Abul Kalam Azad / silver bromied prints 1991 - 2012