November-December 2005

To coincide with the Khoj Nov-Dec International Artist's Residency focusing on Photography, we decided to do a photography workshop with the senior students of the Gyan Deep Public School. The workshop began with two days of the students photographing in Khirkee and was followed by a presentation of their photographs and a discussion led by artists-in-residence Sheba Chachhi and Gauri Gill. 

29th November 2005

24 simple cameras + 24 enthusiastic children + volunteers from college of art all adds up to a grand time and great learning. Tried and tested right here at Khirki village. Highly recommended. Feel free to try it at home.

It has been one of the most rewarding classes ever. Today we worked with children from classes 5th and 4th. We got 5 volunteers from college of art to help us. All young photographers. Charu Monga, Sajeev Visweswaran, Mandakini Devi, Kartik Sood and Sandeep Kuriakose, Deepa and Sanhita as representatives of Khoj. The children were divided into groups and each volunteer was given responsibility for 3 children. We asked the children to look for forms in nature. Circle, square, triangle. The children started clicking straight away, absolutely fascinated with the camera. We were very impressed with one student who patiently focused on the shadow of a window and said that squares are most part of our life

We took the children to the Khirki mosque and on the street. On the terrace of the mosque the children got really excited to see all the geometric forms on the mosques, the round domes, the long pillars. They were on fire. I have never seen them so excited about any other workshop.

30th November 2005

Today we held the workshop for the children of classes 2nd and 3rd. To the younger lot we handed out the cameras and asked them to click whatever they liked off the street and of the temple. The priests were more than happy to have 24 young photographers on campus. The children clicked the local shops and the temple compound. Some even chose models from their classmates and asked them to pose for them to click. Another successful day with the children, cameras and us.

We will now get the films transferred on cd and host a slide show of what they clicked for them to see. We will also invite the artists in residence to talk to the children about the results.

Aastha Chauhan