Based in Calcutta, Soham Gupta’s work constantly moves between the realm of documentary photography, art and the written word. He responds to themes of loneliness and isolation, of abuse and pain, of scarred pasts and uncertain futures, sexual tensions and existential dilemmas. — soham-gupta.com
Don McCullin.
A Young Dead North Vietnamese Soldier with His Possessions. 1968, printed 2013.
Photograph - 28 x 42 cm.
Courtesy of Tate / National galleries of Scotland.
I was a teenager when I was exposed to Sir Don McCullin’s oeuvre – there was an image of a dead soldier in Vietnam that always haunted me – photos of his loved ones and other possessions (including bullets), all scattered around him, as he lay there lifeless –it made war look so futile – the sheer futility of people killing each other, being guided by powerful men hungry for more power – nothing could convey this feeling better than this image.
In the words of McCullin: ‘He deserved a voice. He couldn’t speak so I was going to do it for him. I shovelled his belongings together and photographed them. That’s the only contrived picture I’ve taken in war.’
That was the first time I realized the immense power and responsibility that a photographer is capable of having. That was the first time I wanted to pursue photography. To make a statement. To make my own statement.
Soham Gupta