Two Germans try to connect with India through photo exhibit

Panaji, Feb 17 (PTI) Way back in 1970s, a German scribeWalter Hoffmann travelled along with the hippie tribes toIndia from one dot of the globe to another in search of peaceand enjoyment.

"It was my first trip and after that I got never got ridof India. It changed my life completely," says Hoffman.

Similar is the tale of another German, Peter Muller, whodescended in India in 1979 and since then has visited thecountry 60 times. What binds these Germans, living in theneighbourhood of Munich, is their passion for photography andattraction for India.

And now, connecting West to East, these two Germanartists, who have made Goa their second home, will display''uncanny similarities'' between Germany and India in a photoexhibition planned in Goa and Delhi during February and March.

"Each of the work is something very particular for Germanand Indian side. We have tried to capture similarities betweenboth the nations," Muller said.

In Goa, the exhibition will be held from February 19-26at Kerkar Art complex (Calangute) while in Delhi it will be atthe Dhoomimal Gallery, Connaught Circus from March 7-12.

The project is titled ''BavarIndia,'' which is a concoctionof Bavaria (a town in Southern Germany) and India. It iscurated by a German lady Julia Ziegelmaier.

Hoffman recalls that on his first road trip to India, viaTurkey, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, his camera was stolen.

"But I like India. I like the ancestral culture here.. Ilike the music. I like many things," Hoffman said.

Muller, who along with wife Erike Plate runs a gallery inMunich dedicated exclusively to contemporary Indian art, saysmany of the pictures in the exhibit are not very sharp.

"The portraits are not very sharp. Some are purposelyunder exposed to give them a certain effect," he said addingthat 52-odd pictures would be on display.

The artists have tried to capture similarities betweentwo nations like a man surfing in a river at Munich and aperson surfing in Goa sea.

Hoffman said that they have tried to capture everypossible image like landscapes, sky, lakes, the simple thingsof everyday life, children, friends, animals, plants andothers, which are much similar in both the parts of the globe.