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“I want to tell a clean simple story and then leave it to the viewer.”

Shahid Datawala’s monochromatic photographic compositions don’t necessarily begin or end within the frame. By shooting a part of the whole, Datawala leaves a lot to the viewer’s imagination. A perfectionist by nature, and unique in his approach to photography, Datawala does not capture a moment, but instead preconceives a shot in his head, composes the frame...
“I want to tell a clean simple story and then leave it to the viewer.”

Shahid Datawala’s monochromatic photographic compositions don’t necessarily begin or end within the frame. By shooting a part of the whole, Datawala leaves a lot to the viewer’s imagination. A perfectionist by nature, and unique in his approach to photography, Datawala does not capture a moment, but instead preconceives a shot in his head, composes the frame for it, and then waits for his idea to happen. The artist is known to have waited over three hours to capture that perfect shot.

“I actually construct it in my head and then I wait for that thing to happen. It’s very tongue-in-cheek when it does. Sometimes I see a frame and construct a story instantly. And then I wait. And that wait can be indefinite,” communicates the artist in an interview with Gulan Kriplani for Tasveer Arts.

A self-taught photographer, Datawala articulates his compositions in his own distinctive manner. The dynamic contrast in his frames and their inquisitive composition makes them appear slightly haunted. The viewer can sense a chill in the air or a gentle breeze blowing through his desolate architectural shots.

Born in 1974, Datawala’s solo shows include the forthcoming one at Sua House, Bangalore, to be held in 2009; ‘Shadowboxing’, presented by Tasveer Arts at Art Motif, New Delhi, in 2008; and ‘Dress Circle’ at Foss- Gandhi and Jehangir Nicholson Gallery, National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA), Mumbai, in 2006. Amongst his group shows are, ‘India: Public Paces, Private Spaces Contemporary Photography and Video Art’, at the Newark Museum, New Jersey, in 2007, and at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, in 2008; ‘Click! Contemporary Photography from India’ at Vadehra Gallery, New Delhi, and Grosvenor Vadehra, London, in 2008; and ‘Postvisual World’ at Priyasri Art Gallery, Mumbai, also in 2008.

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