SUNIL JANAH | Bhilai Steel Plant, Hindustan Steel Company, Bhilai, Madhya Pradesh, 1950s

S. Janah, Photographing India, Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 2013, illustration p. 286

Light creases, very minor scratches and minute accretions are visible upon close scrutiny. A small stain is present in the upper right corner. This photograph is in good overall condition, as viewed. Please note the work has not been inspected outside its frame.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Sunil Janah, India’s much-celebrated documentary photographer, is known for his moving images of the Bengal Famine of the 1940s. He went on to further solidify his reputation as one of the leading photojournalists of the post-Independence era with his deeply emotive pictures following the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. Janah worked extensively with Margaret Bourke-White during this period and expanded his social-commentary to a wider audience through her association with Life magazine. Subsequently, he spent many years travelling to remote areas of India in order to record the effects of industrialisation on rural India. His sensitive photographic portrayals of people and his evocative panoramas have been included in exhibitions at Documenta 14, The National Gallery of Modern Art, Mumbai, and in the 2018 edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale. The current lots, beautifully rendered and perfectly framed, exhibit the lifelong influence of Ansel Adams on the photographer. In terms of subject matter, Lot 56 is a prime example of Janah’s later work which focused on the industrial sites of India, the so-called ‘Temples of Modern India’. This dynamic photograph of the Bhilai Steel Plant in Madhya Pradesh highlights the transition the country was undergoing at the time. By contrast, Janah's earlier works concentrated on the human aspect of India. Lot 55 depicts a group of boatmen on the Ganges. The focus of the image is the figures' muscular backs which glisten in the sunlight. The emphasis on the physicality of the men speaks to a key theme in Janah's post-independence photographic production: the human effort required to build India’s new factories and industrial centres.