3:30 pm, NKN Hall
Poochi Art (Poochi means ‘insect' in Tamil)
PoochiVenkat
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09-03-18

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Abstract

In chapter-2, verse-47, the Bhagavad Gita says, Do your duty without expecting anything in return. Results will follow automatically.

These lines perfectly describe what insects are doing all the time.

Insects are not for the faint-of-heart! Their strange shapes and buzzing and colouring and stinging and creeping can make you a phobic... or a lover... of these beautiful creatures that have been around from millions of years before us and will live on long after all of us have disappeared.

To me, this insane interest in creepies began with a delicious mix of photography and curiosity, which led to a world filled with amazement and wonder. My aim was to capture the beauty and art - infinite forms and colours - of these innocuous creatures and maybe later - maybe never - understand their complex names and biology.

The images in this session are from early negatives (and slides) as well as from modern digital images. Digital image processing has helped accurately render colours.

The purpose of this session is to immerse you in the amazing world of insects just by appreciating the beauty of their shape and colour. I want you to marvel at the variety these creatures display and the fact that all these pictures are from India.

Let’s go beyond the creepiness, the aversion, and all those scary insect movies, to conserve and support insects! If, after sitting out this session, you want to go further in entomology, research, conservation or photography, I would be proud and happy that this whole idea has worked!

I apply John Keats’s lines here: A thing of beauty is a joy forever!

About the speaker:

Venkat (his real name!) hails from the illustrious family of R K Narayan and R K Laxman. His interest in photography began at the age of 9. He concentrates on pure photography and has worked on many assignments which took him to almost all forest areas across India. His repertoire also includes Perspective Photography, Astrophotography and Print-design.

He has just released his first book ‘Insects - Guardians of Nature’ which is a photographic tribute to insects, the unsung heroes of our planet.

He advises, professionally consults and lectures at various institutions and clubs, conducts videography courses for institutions, clubs and customised groups.