”India’s future is growing in the hands of women”
Martine Franck

On the initiative of BNP PARIBAS banking group to commemorate the 150 years of work in India, the exhibition features more than 130 pictures taken by 6 photographers of Magnum: Olivia Arthur, Martine Franck, Raghu Rai, Alessandra Sanguinetti, Alex Webb and Patrick Zachmann.

They have photographed committed women who are determined to fulfil their potential, the strength of Indian women who are able to change and transform their country.
These pictures give us an unprecedented vision of Indian society showing self-aware and proud women who are not daunted by the obvious difficulties resulting from the path they have chosen. Unfortunately for too many years Indian women were caught in a vicious circle produced by cultural, religious and economic obstacles. But something is changing. It is a slow trend and education may be a starting point.

In her images of the young generation, taken in Bangalore and Misore, Olivia Arthur (Imaging a different future) shows that women can now be students in cutting-edge research centres, whereas previously only men could be enrolled.

Raghu Rai (The heart of India) has met other women holding important and prestigious positions: entrepreneurs, CEOs, writers and activists who have become true home grown icons for Indian society. The result is a sequence of images full of admiration for these women, focusing on their proud and energetic expression.

Patrick Zachmann (Empowerment at the grassroots) met another kind of women in power. In 1992, the Indian Parliament passed two amendments to the constitution involving villagers in local governance. And 33% of Panchayat seats, the local assemblies that administer villages, must be held by women. Zachmann’s pictures show them hard at work administering their community and, at the same time, devoted to carrying out their family and professional chores.

Martine Franck (Banking on ourselves) has illustrated the huge work carried out by some associations, such as KMVS and SEWA, which have set up a network providing information and support for female workers. Using microcredit projects, they have created new job opportunities, offering women the possibility to manage directly their household budgets.

Alex Webb (Women driving change) met women in Mumbai and Delhi who turned out to work as taxi drivers and security agents. Their jobs are reserved to women and their clients are exclusively other women.

Alessandra Sanguinetti (Behind the scene) shows a different aspect about Bollywood films. Not only actresses, but now also women become key players in the film industry. A woman is one of the country’s most successful directors and there are also sound engineers, heads of casting and cameramen. Alessandra’s photos convey her genuine respect and the professional manner in which those women tackle their work.

Emiliana Tedesco

Women changing India

Until June 19th
Forma Foundation for Photography
Piazza Tito Lucrezio Caro, 1 (Milan)