Distorted reality: Delhi artists showcase the art of smartphone photography

A fascinating collaboration that spans generations and artistic styles is taking place in Delhi with the exhibition Our World Through Four Eyes: Distortions, Reflections, Shadows, Textures. The show features the work of eminent artist Sanjay Bhattacharyya alongside emerging contemporary visual artist Sanya Ahuja, presenting a diverse collection of photographs masterfully captured using only smartphones.

Telling stories through smartphones

The exhibition offers visitors a striking juxtaposition between abstract, surreal imagery and honest, atmospheric human portraits. Curator Uma Nair highlights the distinct approaches of the two artists. She notes that Sanjay Bhattacharyya’s work treats composition “not as mere framing but as a transformative wand, bending everyday subjects into haunting netherworlds.” His images feature "crumbling iron doors, chandeliers, veiled windows" and evoke a strong twentieth-century aesthetic. Sanjay himself describes his series as “an obsession in my life for fragments that reveal and hide the truth.”

In contrast, Sanya Ahuja, a 26-year-old graduate from Amity School of Fine Arts, brings a contemporary, intuitive eye to urban spaces. Uma describes a “palpable intensity in the way Sanya looks at urban environments,” capturing the intriguing forms and the impact of time and human use on them. Sanya's work is driven by a deep passion for art, which she calls the force that keeps her life “zestful and spontaneous.” Her moody monochromes feature honest portrayals of everyday people, revealing a surrealist sensibility without the need to stage a moment.

The collaborative showcase, aptly titled by Indian Historian and Hotelier Aman Nath, invites art lovers to interpret the poignant and graphic images for themselves. The collection promises to linger in the mind, holding "incoherent snapshots, the sort that often appear in our dreams, but do not last."

The exhibition will be open to the public from October 27th to 31st, 2025, at the Visual Arts Gallery, India Habitat Centre on Lodhi Road, Delhi.