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Selwyn to host rare exhibition of Gandhi photographs

Saturday 26 September 2015, 10:27AM

By Selwyn Creative Network

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CANTERBURY


Selwyn residents will have a rare opportunity next month to view a historic collection of photographs of Indian spiritual and political leader Mahatma Gandhi.
 
The Selwyn Arts Trust, together with Selwyn District Council, is presenting a renowned international photographic exhibition of Gandhi’s life, at venues in Lincoln and Darfield.
 
The 34 seldom-seen photographs of Mahatma Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi were taken by photographer Dr Dahdboy Rustam Wadia during the 1940s. They include portraits and informal photographs of Gandhi with his friends, followers and with Nehru, Jinnah and other major political leaders of the Indian independence movement. The photographs span all aspects of Gandhi’s life, showing him at home in quiet villages, at public gatherings and at formal political meetings.
 
“Gandhi was a figure of historic importance to our world, who led the Indian independence movement,” says Selwyn Mayor Kelvin Coe. “The values of peace and tolerance that Gandhi personified are universal. This exhibition is a wonderful opportunity for people in Selwyn to learn about the life of Gandhi, and to celebrate those values and the cultural diversity of our district.”
 
Many in India and abroad hailed Gandhi by the Hindu title “Mahatma” meaning great soul. Gandhi trained as a lawyer until 1895 where he was invited to be an advisor to an Indian firm in South Africa, during which time he became a politician, journalist, and a leading figure in the Indian community which was being increasingly subjected to social and legal discrimination on racial grounds. It was during this time that he began to perfect ‘satyagraha’ - a form of non-violent protest in times of conflict for which he remains well-known today.
 
This photograph collection is on loan from a private collection that has been made available to the public with the support of Surinder and Archna Tandon, keen volunteers in the Indian community in New Zealand.
 
The exhibition will open on Gandhi’s birthday, Friday 2 October, at 7pm. Limited tickets to the opening event are available.
 
The public exhibition will be on display free of charge at the Lincoln Event Centre during the weekends of Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 October and from Friday 9 until Sunday 11 October.  The exhibition is open from 9am to 4pm.
 
The second weekend of the exhibition coincides with the Lincoln Multicultural Festival which is also supported by Selwyn District Council and other sponsors.
 
For a ticket to the opening event please contact Selwyn Arts Trust Arts Co-ordinator, Rachael Inch by emailing arts@selwyn.govt.nz or phoning 03 347 2722
 
Images from the Gandhi exhibition will also be displayed as smaller photographs at Darfield Library during Darfield Artweek from 10 to 17 October.