Outskirts of Husainiwala near Firozpur City searching for the River Satluj

Location

Country: UK
City: London
Place: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Whitehall

Outskirts of Husainiwala near Firozpur City searching for the River Satluj features a red, white and blue express train racing through the landscape. In the foreground we catch a glimpse of the River Satluj, one of the five Punjabi rivers. The vertical form of the sprawling tree bisects the horizontal train line. This photograph conveys agriculture and industry in one shot - Punjab produces two-thirds of India's annual grain and it is connected to the Indian railway, the longest rail network in the world.

This photograph is from Kandhola's series Flatland: A Landscape of Punjab (2003-2006). Intended to counteract stereotypical depictions of Punjab as a dusty, bustling urban area, he composed landscapes referencing Western artists such as Constable and Monet. Flatland is the second in a photographic trilogy of works related to family, memory and the geographical landscape of Kandhola's cultural heritage, specifically his experience of life in Britain as a second generation Punjabi. He has said:

My visual composition has inevitably been influenced by English landscapes and gardens. The British suburban garden is a part of British identity. And for many Punjabis who live in England, cultivation of the land - its nurturing and its produce - is both a lasting memory and an association with Punjab, as it was for my father.

Born and raised in Birmingham, Max Kandhola is a fine art photographer who has exhibited his work widely. He is also Senior Lecturer in Photographic Studies at Nottingham Trent University. Flatland was first shown at the Djanogly Art Gallery, Nottingham in 2007 to accompany the publication of his monograph; other solo exhibitions have been held in London, Glasgow, Bratislava, New York and Delhi.

Born and raised in Birmingham, Max Kandhola is a fine art photographer and Associate Professor in photography, Design & Digital Arts at Nottingham Trent University. He has had solo exhibitions in London, Glasgow, Bratislava, New York and Delhi. His work has featured in group exhibitions including the Pingyao Festival, China (2008), Flowers East, London (2006) and Wolverhampton Art Gallery (2001). Kandhola’s work is represented in public and private collections including Deutsche Bank, Bradford Museum of Photography, Film and Television, and Virgin Records.

Places

India, Punjab (India)

Subjects

railway, train, topography, landscape C21st, river, telegraph pole

Materials & Techniques

photograph (as object name), colour photograph

Artist

Max Kandhola (1964 - )

Title

Outskirts of Husainiwala near Firozpur City searching for the River Satluj

Edition

1/5

Date

2005

Medium

Kodak Endura C-type traditional colour hand print

Dimensions

height: 76.20 cm, width: 76.20 cm

Acquisition

Purchased from Sara Preisler Gallery, July 2008

Inscription

verso, b: Max Kandhola © July 2008 flatland a landscape of Punjab 2003-2006 Edition 1/5

Provenance

Sara Preisler Gallery, Birmingham

GAC number

18203