India 1926-1927 (Calcutta, Benares) 1926 - 1927

Curator: At first glance, the tightly bound quality and intense vermillion hue of this volume evoke a sense of contained stories, or perhaps secrets. Editor: Indeed. This is a photograph of a leather-bound album entitled "India 1926-1927 (Calcutta, Benares)"—likely a personal travelogue by Leslie Hamilton Wilson. Curator: It's the geometric framing, rendered in gold leaf, that truly captivates; the way it contains the texture of the leather. The use of negative space around the title also creates a beautiful balance. Editor: Precisely! And considering the colonial context of 1920s India, this album offers a glimpse into the gaze of a Western traveler, framing their experience of a complex nation through a deliberately constructed narrative. Curator: The materiality, the texture of the leather and crisp lines of the gilded lettering, further emphasize a sense of formality and order imposed on the subject. Editor: The cities named suggest the photographer's interest in contrasting the colonial capital with a site of traditional religious practice, presenting a particular view of India for a presumably Western audience. Curator: Ultimately, it is this tension between the tangible object and the intangible experience it holds that makes this album so compelling. Editor: Right, it invites us to consider whose stories are told and how, within the historical power dynamics of the time.