Entertainment - Art

Survivor’s Tale

Gautam Lewis’ photography exhibition Full Circle shows his attempt to inspire victims and survivors alike

Posted On Tuesday, December 15, 2009

By- Raikamal Roy

In a drive to eradicate polio and its crippling effects, a photography exhibition by Gautam Lewis, a polio survivor himself, was held at Gaganendra Pradarsasala. Called Full Circle, the exhibition was held as UNICEF and it’s collaborating partners - Global Polio Eradication Initiative, Rotary International and the US Center’s for Disease Control and Prevention’s - final fight against eliminating polio.

Organised by the Prabha Khaitan Foundation, Somnath Chatterjee, ex-speaker Lok Sabha inaugurated the event. HA Halim, Speaker, West Bengal Legislative Assembly, was the chief guest and Wasim Kapoor, renowned artist, was the guest of honour. Swastika Mukherjee, actor, also made an appearance.

India is one of the four countries where this disease is still endemic, from 125 countries across five continents, and this exhibition was held as Lewis’ attempt to inspire victims and survivors alike, and to create awareness of the physical and emotional effects of the disease.

The exhibition was Lewis’ photo story of the past and the present, of memories stirred by the polio victims he has come across and his own days as a child under the care of Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity organisation. The photographs also highlighted efforts of the government to fight it.

Intensely personal as well as stark and moving, the pictures told the story of the polio victims, juxtaposed with Lewis’ own struggle as a victim of the disease. Kolktata, as his place of birth, has struck an evocative note with the photographer, as revealed in each picture. As a guest of the evening, and Lewis’ host in India, Ruma Majumdar said, “Every picture has a story behind it.”

By telling the story of the victims and their families, Lewis outlined the attempts of the people to reconcile with as well as fight the disease. “As poverty leads to disability, disability also worsens poverty,” said Lewis. In his introductory speech, Lewis expressed gratitude for the support his cause has found. Commenting on the exhibition, he said, “What Full Circle celebrates is the gift of the human imagination.”

An imagination that rises above the limitations of the body’s disabilities as Lewis himself has proved through his feats. Still dependent on crutches, he is a licensed pilot. Chatterjee, while lauding Lewis’ efforts, said for him, the sky is the limit.

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