Indian Police Close Down Gay Photography Exhibit In New Delhi

Sunil Gupta is “trying not to react” but it must be hard. An exhibition of his photographs-part of the Francophone festival at the Alliance Francaise-was closed by the institute a day after it opened on Friday , March 23. Gupta, photographer and gay rights’ activist, is not sure why. There had been hints of trouble at the opening, says Gupta, when the police arrived and some photos were removed. The police, however, deny asking anyone to remove any pieces or disturb the exhibition.

“The police came in response to a complaint by an individual. They didn’t demand anything of me personally . There was no big discussion about it. There was no argument,” says Gupta. From what he gathered, the cops wanted some of the pieces to be removed and their request was complied with. But it is beyond him why the whole exhibition had to go.

He says that a particular set of about 10 photos belonging to the “Sun City” series-one of three on display–that were shot in a bathhouse had raised concern. “There were men in towels so lots of thighs and torsos but no genitals were showing,” he says. The series has already traveled to Paris and San Francisco. In Paris it was displayed at Center Pompidou and, says Gupta, it was Alliance Francaise that, on the basis of the previous show, invited him to participate. As for reasoning with the institute, Gupta says “that occasion never arose.” He wasn’t part of discussions that led to the decision to take his exhibition down. “An individual is entitled to complain,” says Gupta, “It’s what happens after that that’s important to me as an artist.”  Read More