Born out of a twin concern, that of association and abandonment, DISCORD is a project rooted in Samar Singh Jodha’s two-decade work in China, Africa, South Asia and the Middle East. A journey that has often brought him face to face with people and processes relegated to the fringes of mainstream media and art practice.
The canvas for DISCORD are cast concrete walls that span large proportions, yet encompass intimate stories of people whose hands help realize a society’s physical ambitions. The juxtaposition of images enables the visuals to transcend their literal specificity and create metaphors about lesser-noticed facets of human migration.
These are universal stories about human longings, the occasional fulfillment and the many disappointments that mark movement of humanity within and beyond borders today.
Samar S. Jodha
Samar S. Jodha’s work over the past twenty years has been seen in galleries and museums in India as well as in Barcelona, Boston, Frankfurt, London, New York, Queensland and Washington. He is an artist who has often used photography and film to focus on marginalized issues and communities. His eight-year long project on ageing in India remains the single biggest social communication project in terms of outputs and outreach as listed by Limca Book of Indian Records. Extract of it were showcased at Whitechapel Gallery (London) and Fotomuseum (Zurich) in 2010.
Jodha has been using his art for advocacy for nearly twenty years, addressing various issues like development, human rights and conservation.
His five-year work on the making of world’s tallest habitat was featured on Discovery, National Geographic as well as exhibited at New York’s Skyscraper Museum. His project about television has been showcased worldwide and described by The New York Times as “A beautiful series of photographs (that) documents the now-pervasive presence of television in Indian life.”
Phaneng – his award winning portraiture project about the disappearing Tai Phake tribe in India’s northeast was seen at Religare Art, New Delhi in 2008 and Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. in 2010. He continues to work closely with this endangered community.
Parallel to his art projects and editorial work, Samar has worked with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, BBC World Service Trust and the United Nations. Samar is a regular speaker on TEDx.
Other Exhibitions
DSCORD A Public Art Project at India Art Fair 2012
Whose Wealth? Whose Commons? 2010 Delhi Commanwealth Game
Samar S. Jodha’s work over the past twenty years has been seen in galleries and museums in India as well as in Barcelona, Boston, Frankfurt, London, New York, Queensland and Washington. He is an artist who has often used photography and film to focus on marginalized issues and communities. His eight-year long project on ageing in India remains the single biggest social communication project in terms of outputs and outreach as listed by Limca Book of Indian Records. Extract of it were showcased at Whitechapel Gallery (London) and Fotomuseum (Zurich) in 2010.
Jodha has been using his art for advocacy for nearly twenty years, addressing various issues like development, human rights and conservation.
