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CONVERGENCE:
A panorama of photography's French connections in India
CLIENT
Institut Français, Ambassade de France en Inde,
Alliance Française India, and Alkazi Foundation
SCOPE
Brand Identity, Space Design
TEAM
Graphic Design: Anmol Gupta, Bhavika Aggarwal (The Brewhouse)
Creative Direction: The Brewhouse
Architectural design and layouts: Studio Organon
Carpentry: @decor.india
There Are More Photographs Than Bricks
When you think of archival photography, your mind might drift to quiet museum halls and hushed reverence. This project? It was anything but that.
In 2022, as part of the Bonjour Festival, the Institut Français, Ambassade de France en Inde, and Alkazi Foundation brought a remarkable collection of original photographs from early French photographers of the Indian subcontinent to New Delhi. What began as a singular exhibition quickly evolved into something far greater—a travelling show that reached audiences across Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Delhi.
I had the privilege of working on this project during my time at The Brewhouse, translating an already profound exhibit into a dynamic, multi-city experience. The challenge was as poetic as it was practical: to juxtapose the European perspective with the contributions of early Indian photographers, while making these priceless images accessible to diverse audiences in open, public spaces.
Redefining ‘High Art’
When we approached the visual language, we wanted to dismantle the clichés of "high art" being subdued and exclusive. Instead, we created a language that was bold, playful, and democratic.
Dynamic layouts. Exaggerated scales. A refreshing colour palette. Contemporary typography. This wasn’t just an exhibit—it was an invitation. By design, it aimed to be attractive, engaging, and approachable for audiences across cultural and economic divides.
The Modular Marvel
To take the show on the road—literally—we partnered with Studio Organon to design a modular display system that could adapt to each venue. The result was an elegant yet rugged solution: two A-frames sandwiched between vinyled boards, flat-packed for travel and reconfigured anew at every stop. The versatility of these modules was extraordinary. In Kolkata, the exhibit occupied a 5,000-square-foot air-conditioned interior hall. In Chennai, it transformed into an open-air plaza spread across 28,000 square feet, weathering everything from torrential rains to scorching heatwaves. Each venue brought its own constraints, but the modularity allowed us to tailor the experience every time, creating layouts that complemented the curatorial sections and guided the viewer seamlessly through the exhibit.
A Bilingual Experience
Language was as critical as design. Each show was presented bilingually, with text in English and the local language—Gujarati, Kannada, Tamil, Bengali, Marathi, and Hindi. This meant constant updates, reprinting, and on-site reinstallation, ensuring the exhibit resonated with its audience wherever it went.
Scenography That Speaks
The scenography was central to the viewer’s experience. We played with bold typography, vibrant colours, and supersized layouts to create a striking contrast against the delicate archival photographs. High-resolution scans of the originals allowed us to enlarge these images to almost cinematic proportions, immersing the audience in the world of the photographs. Keywords and phrases from the exhibition text were magnified, becoming graphic elements that added layers to the story. We worked closely with the curatorial team to restructure the exhibit’s content, dividing it into chronological or conceptual sections. Each section was assigned a distinct colour, and the modular A-frames were reconfigured accordingly. This not only created a visual rhythm but also drew in curious passersby in open spaces.
The Emotional Weight
The panels, quite literally, carried the weight of the show. Through blood, sweat, tears—and plenty of rain and sun—they endured it all. Every nick, every scuff became a testament to the miles travelled and the stories shared.
More Than Meets the Eye
This wasn’t just a photography exhibit; it was a cultural bridge, a conversation starter, and, most importantly, a living, breathing experience. From design to carpentry, every detail was deliberate. And while the photographs told the story of the past, the exhibit itself became a story of the present—one of adaptability, collaboration, and the relentless pursuit of accessibility in art.
