Among the environments protagonists of the activity of Steve McCurry find, Afghanistan with photos from 1992 with an unprecedented and exciting portrait of Kabul, a city tormented by over 15 years of conflict.
The photographer tells us about the episodes of violence and segregation of the capital and of Afghanistan; but among the pages of one of the most tormented areas of the planet humanity emerges. The miners of Pol-e-Khomri, the street portrait photographer in Kabul or the kids crowding the trunk of a 50s Chevrolet are just a few of the enchanting moments of life McCurry always manages to thrill with.
In the exhibition we meet India, from the portrait of the mother with her son looking inside a taxi to the unhealthy shipbreaking yards, McCurry tells us about the vitality and complexity of a country that has been crossed by heavy contradictions. Crowded places where poverty and wealth coexist, thus inhibiting the perception of injustices that a Westerner possesses. The photographer's passion for this country takes place with his move to the country at the age of 28 (1978). In fact, some of the shots of characters that the artist himself identifies as friends come from this country: the old lady of Vrindavan, the wizard of Rajasthan with an orange beard or the tailor carrying his sewing machine in the middle of the monsoon season. (Cover photo)
One photo of India, in particular, reveals McCurry's great talent. This is the representation of one of the most seen and photographed monuments in the world: the Taj Mahal.
From India and neighboring countries come other important shots taken to tell the atmospheric phenomenon: the monsoon. From people submerged in water up to their necks, to Rajasthani women shielding themselves from sandstorms. McCurry also tells us about the less sensational aspect of the monsoon, with people carrying out their daily tasks under the downpour.
Another protagonist of McCurry he sees Buddhism instead. Among the images displayed in the exhibition we find the great mausoleums such as the pagoda of Mingun, the Golden Rock of Myanmar in Burma and the monumental complex of Angkor in Cambodia. Alongside the architectural masterpieces, McCurry inserts many shots of Buddhist faithful from different countries: like the little monks in a refugee camp in India, the acrobatic Shaolin monks living in China and the Tibetans.
The event curated by Biba Jackets, wants to be a journey without limiting coordinates, but rather a dreamlike journey among the icons of the photographer.
