New studio’s inaugural exhibit to promote history of photography as a fine art
By Jennifer Kohlhepp, Staff Writer
WEST WINDSOR — Resident Hasan Sayed has a mission to bring photographic art archives out of the dark and into the limelight.
The Kulwant Roy Archive is one such collection and marks the inauguration of Studio Shraza’s “humble endeavor,” according to Mr. Sayed.
Studio Shraza, which opened last month, is a space at 1800 E. State St. in Hamilton dedicated to promoting the history of photography as a fine art. The studio, which Mr. Sayed manages, plans to exhibit works of world-renowned photographers who have documented historic moments in the realm of space and time.
“Over a period of time, we also plan to promote new talent in the field of photography by supporting and curating the shows,” Mr. Sayed said.
The studio is currently working with museums, photographic foundations and reputed syndication agencies to bring almost forgotten photographs into the public domain. Its first exhibition, “History in the Making: Visual Archives of Kulwant Roy,” is being presented through March 27 in collaboration with the India Photo Archive Foundation and curator Aditya Arya.
“These photos and thousands of other images remained forgotten in boxes for over 25 years after the death of Kulwant Roy,” said Mr. Sayed, a resident of West Windsor since 2012, along with his wife, Shilpa.
The images reveal a photographic record of modern Indian history, with some of the rarest negatives and prints of Mahatma Gandhi as well as key black-and-white photos of the freedom struggle.
“They are historically important for the freedom struggle because many of these are quite rare photos, including a 1939 picture of Gandhi in a heated argument with Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the head of India’s Muslim League, who went on to found Pakistan,” Mr. Sayed said. “The two men were seldom photographed together and their disagreements primarily took place out of the public eye.”
Mr. Roy shot many of Gandhi’s travels and his photographs include a rare sight of the signing of the Indian Constitution by the founding fathers, according to Mr. Sayed.
Mr. Sayed is also a photographer. He purchased his first camera in 1995 and started taking photos of relatives and friends as well as “street shots.” Before getting involved in digital asset management, he created infographics and took photographs for various media agencies.
“I have been an active learner for the past 20 years, with different roles to play in different parts of the world in Asia, the Middle East and Europe,” Mr. Sayed said.