India, Aug. 17 -- A striking red sculpture of Mahatma Gandhi with a laptop, a large portrait of former PM Jawaharlal Nehru published in RSS mouthpiece 'Organiser', vintage posters and photographs capturing 1857 and India's protest movements are among the exhibits in an ongoing show that revisits India's political history through art, photography and archival material. Titled "SWARAJ: Revisualising India's Political History", the exhibition is presented by the Tuli Research Centre for India Studies (T.R.I.S.) and curated by its founder Neville Tuli. Bringing together rare artworks, photographs, prints, political posters, books, film publicity material and archival visual, textual and audio records, the exhibition explores how India has seen, represented and remembered its political journey. Also Read - Qaumi Insaaf Morcha protest: Former MP Simranjit Mann booked, 17 others arrested Advertisement It unfolds as a visual collage, placing archival photographs alongside paintings, illustrations, cartoons, newspaper and magazine covers, political imagery and contemporary artworks. The narrative stretches from early European views of India's landscapes and the reformist currents of the Bengal Renaissance to the upheavals of 1857, the rise of Indian printing presses, photojournalism, political propaganda and cinema. "Grasping the nature of India's political history truly demands a deep love and understanding for every facet of her journey. "Unlike our textbook histories, I have also included the role of the media from newspapers to journals and magazines such as People's 'War & Age', the 'Organiser', 'Himmat', to die-hard Reuters photo-journalists covering India during all the transformational moments of violence and protest of the 1980-90s," said Tuli, outlining the thinking behind the carefully curated exhibition. Also Read - Maharashtra CM meets Modi, discusses development projects; seeks Centre's help The multidisciplinary mixed-media show gives particular attention to the media's role in documenting and shaping political history, featuring clippings and archival material from newspapers, journals and magazines. Among the notable exhibits is a black-and-white portrait of Nehru published in 'Organiser' after his death, with the caption, "Some glimpses of a great and glorious life". Photographs of public gatherings, political mobilisation, marches and protests sit alongside printed material that reflects the growing influence of newspapers, pamphlets and popular publications in shaping political opinion.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.