Framing life from the margins

How does the world look through the eyes of the homeless who also battle a mental condition? There are multiple answers to that, and they come framed at Naalum Pozhudhum, a photography exhibition by Chennai-based non-profit The Banyan. The images that would populate the walls of the exhibition hall at C.P. Arts Centre in Alwarpet from November 20 to 22 (between 9.30 a.m. and 7 p.m.) have come from this section of society The Banyan works with. And some of those under the sheltering care of The Banyan suffer from the double blow of homelessness and a debilitating mental condition that necessitates institutionalised care.The participants in the photography project are residents of two of its programmes: Home Again, a community-based living arrangement for people unable to return to their families, and ECRC, which provides institutional care.Swaathi B, Research Associate at The Banyan, who is associated with this project, underlines its guiding principle: “We wanted to introduce art and other mediums, with photography being one of them, to see how the participants engage with them. We wanted to understand how far they would be able to engage and what would emerge from the process,” she says. If all went well, this skill could be added to the bouquet of skills (which include weaving, tailoring and cooking) already being imparted to them.The residents had to volunteer for this project; 17 did, and ten stayed the course. During a visual storytelling session. As long-term illness can affect cognition, the initial stages of the training were time-consuming, soaking up sessions every three days. The coaching phase lasted around 20 days. The coach and mentor M. Palanikumar (a journalist and founder of People’s Photographers Collective) recalls, “We started with a lot of open stories. We planned the sessions and projected photographs and photo stories for them. I introduced them to basic storytelling and explained how to take photographs and how to approach a story,” he says.The participants were introduced to photos published on the People’s Archive of Rural India (PARI) website, which included those of salt workers in Thoothukudi, sanitation workers, ragpickers and women running small businesses in villages.As they began using the cameras, participants received prompts to photograph their routines, people they liked, activities they enjoyed and places where they spent time. Every 10 days or a fortnight, their photographs were reviewed. Gradually, the photographs began to reveal relationships and everyday exchanges within the centre. One participant chose to photograph a person who had helped her learn a skill after she joined the centre; another photographed a woman who regularly comes looking for her when she is late for dinner.One woman, who described herself as reticent, began introducing herself to people and asking if she could photograph them. She enjoyed these interactions and the opportunity to build relationships.One photograph, in particular, prompted an unexpected response. Looking at her own picture, a participant remarked, “I did not know that I looked so beautiful.” She liked it enough to request that it be displayed in a larger format at the exhibition. By the selection stage, the participants had collectively taken hundreds of photographs. While one had taken around 600, others had taken between 40 and 150. They were encouraged to review their pictures and choose what they wanted displayed. Technical perfection was not the criterion for selection. Blurred, shaky and poorly lit photographs were retained if the person behind the camera considered them meaningful. Each participant was also asked to explain why they had chosen particular pictures. “Sometimes, we take photographs that we do not particularly like. But whenever they take photographs, they enjoy the process,” says Palanikumar.The process also brought its limitations into focus. Since participants could not always travel independently, much of the photography took place within the centre. Palanikumar hopes they will have more opportunities to explore places outside in the future.For Swaathi, the exhibition is also an opportunity to question the assumptions surrounding mental health and the abilities of those living with mental health conditions. She notes: “There are preconceived notions about mental illness and what people with mental illnesses can or cannot do, or what they should or should not do.”The participants will be present on the first and last days of the exhibition, giving visitors an opportunity to meet them and hear the stories behind the photographs.