Northern Lights, camera & action

At first glance captions would have been appreciated, but on a second thought any absence of a verse, a haiku or even a two word addition to the photographs ensures there is an effort to interpret things. But instead the 45 photographs at the ongoing exhibition Northern Lights makes one wander far into the wilderness.

The exhibition as the name suggests showcases the images of the very famous and much captured Aurra Borealis. “The Northern Lights are enchanting to say the least. They are unpredictable and usually appear only on very cold nights in Northern Finland above the Arctic Circle,” says the artist and educationist Mitul Dikshit.

Joining him in not just the trip but also the passion for photography is his 14-year-old son Idant Dikshit, who has as many as 10 of the displayed images to his credit. “Lapland is also known to be the place where millions of travelers from across the world long to go just to feast their eyes upon the magical phenomenon of Aurra Borealis,” says Mitul of the nearly 20 day sojourn of Lapland—Finland’s northern most region, adding, “How these images through the ages have aroused a feeling that they have magical powers beyond human comprehension.”

Although the connecting thread of lights and skyline invariably make their way into almost all of the 40 frames depicted at the exhibition, other elements just as much grab eyeballs. Against the backdrop of snow, there is beauty in the wild hunting dogs, sledges, the native flora and fauna, the wooden residences, a well lit hut captured from between two ice covered trees, a human figure caught in a snow storm, footsteps on deserted snow covered tracks… It all make one give into wanderlust.

—Manpriya Singh

On till February 1 at Government Museum and Art Gallery—10, Chandigarh