sAyan Bose was traveling for two hours from his home in Kolkata, India in Sungranpur, West Bengal for a day of documentary photography. “I would walk around the village, capture the lifestyles of the locals, ask about their daily lives, their jobs and their struggles,” Bose says. “I spoke to a 17-year-old kid called Ariful Alam. He was a farmer in a big sunflower garden. He was young and enjoyable and agreed to posing in this field for me. I did.”
After the newsletter promotion
Aram wears a chou, or chhau, a mask. “They hold a great place in Bengal's rich cultural heritage,” Bose says. “They are used in traditional folk dances Purulia Chhauspeaks of myths and folklore, and speaks as decorative works. I decided to use a mask depicting a character named Mahisha, Mahisha, of Mahishasura Maldini. Stotra From Hindu mythology. ”
In March's sunshine, the men worked together to create shots. Bose explained his vision for the image, and Aram suggested lifting his arms to express the emotions of the moment. “It created an impressive contrast: a combination of nature, tradition and culture,” says Bose. “Mahisha is a demon, so the sunflower garden is very beautiful and eye-catching, but I remember that even the beautiful ones have a negative side.”
