Banaras: The Luminous City
Banaras: The Luminous City highlights the historical, religious and cultural significance of this ancient spiritual center from traditional and modern viewpoints, and, through a unique high-tech feature, offers museumgoers a virtual visit to this phenomenal Indian city. Comprising nineteenth-century photographs from the Alkazi Collection of Photography and contemporary photographs, the first part of the show offers views of past and present Banaras. The second part, called "The Crossing: Living, Dying and Transformation in Banaras," is a multi-media presentation employing different forms of interactive technology as an exploration of this complex spiritual and social site.
The first
part of the exhibition curated by Sepia International and The Alkazi
Collection of Photography, includes black and white photographs
documenting Banaras's rich past. The Alkazi Collection of Photography
is a privately owned archive of primarily nineteenth-century
photographs focusing on India and South Asia. The photographs,
collected by Ebrahim Alkazi, include landscapes, architectural and
archaeological views, portraits, sociological studies, scientific
explorations, military campaigns and ceremonial events. Mr. Alkazi was
among the first to collect photographic prints from these regions,
often in the form of albums.
The photographs on display encapsulate moments reflecting the timeless
beauty of Banaras. The early photographs include images of pilgrims
performing their rituals on the ghats at dawn, washermen doing laundry
along the riverside at noon, the flickering flames of cremation pyres,
the unforgettable sunset seen from barges on the Ganges, and many more
sights. These are juxtaposed with contemporary photographs by Linda
Connor, Edward Grazda, Graciela Iturbide, Richard Lannoy, Dayanita
Singh, and Rosalind Solomon. These contemporary views present vignettes
of the bustling, living city: rickshaw pullers ferrying people along
the narrow crowded lanes of the city, the busy markets peopled with
merchants selling a variety of wares ranging from silk brocades to
betel-nut sweets, and the priests serving the needs of the many
pilgrims at the various Shiva temples. Together, the photographs
illustrate the manifold faces of the city and its occupants, all
engaged in the unceasing drama of life and death.
The second part of the exhibition, "The Crossing: Living,
Dying and Transformation in Banaras" highlights the cultural and
religious significance of Banaras through a novel synthesis of
cutting-edge technology and traditional artworks. Using the latest
interactive technology designed by researchers from the Palo Alto
Research Center (PARC), "The Crossing" transports visitors on a virtual
pilgrimage to the city. High-tech components embedded within religious
icons and decorative objects created by Indian craftsmen provide
visitors with unique and enjoyable ways to interact with technology and
use it as a vehicle to explore and discover both the physicality and
spirituality of Banaras. The objects are housed in interactive
installations evoking the rituals and spiritual purification undergone
by pilgrims as they visit this sacred city. These stations offer a
virtual experience of the multifaceted and vibrant daily life of
Banaras with its bustling markets, serene riverbanks and holy sites.
The E-Rickshaw, for example, is an interactive rickshaw that allows the
visitor to navigate the city by moving its handlebars, projecting an
image of the viewer's journey through the narrow alleyways lined with
temples and shops. After touring the busy city streets visitors may
experience the mysticism of one of Banaras's numerous Shiva temples and
learn more about the myths related to this deity at the next
installation. This features a range of handcrafted smart-touch objects
such as a trishul or trident, which activate a variety of electronic lingams
or iconic representations of Shiva, each offering a story about the
presiding deity of the city. Another interactive piece is a 360-degree
Tilty Wheel that enables visitors to enjoy a panoramic view of the
river Ganges and its surroundings, which are central to the Banaras
experience. By manipulating this wheel museumgoers may witness the
fascinating scenery and activity along the banks of the river,
including the city's medieval architecture, the serene early morning
sunrise and the daily rituals performed on the ghats or riverbank steps.
This component of the exhibition draws attention to both the
transformation of individuals in the Indian belief system as well as
the transformation of Indian culture today as it reconciles tradition
with modernity in a seamless interface. Through the photographs of the
past and the modern interactive installations, the exhibition presents
a complete, holistic experience of the city of Banaras to a broad and
diverse American audience. "The Crossing" was recently the recipient of
an award of distinction for interactive art installation and design at
the Prix Ars Electronica.