These Gujarati households are straight out of a fairytale.
Sebastian Cortés’ lushly detailed photographs of Sidhpur, Gujarat seem anachronistic, capturing the Dawoodi Bohra trading community in a capsule outside the rush of time. Ornate interiors, rainbow-coloured facades, flowing ridas murmuring against fantastically intricate and symmetric architecture. You can see his works at the exhibition titled Sidhpur: Time Present Time Past
Sidhpur is an important pilgrimage centre for Shaivism and for Hindu devotees honouring maternal ancestors, but the sacred town is also known for its gorgeous European-influenced architecture built over a century ago in the Muslim neighbourhood. ... Cortés’ work is driven by a quest for the inherent nature of a place. “I always look for clear indications of domesticity, and I try to place myself within a perspective position that does not influence the viewer more than needed,” he wrote. “My desire is to document with intent, that which I find in front of me; allowing the image to present itself slowly, rather than capturing the 'decisive moment'.”
