Exciting New Exhibition Honors Nearly 200 Years of Analog Photography

A new exhibition celebrates two centuries of analog photography, tracing the medium from its 19th-century origins to the modern digital age.

Curated by Aditya Arya, Touching Light: A Prelude to the Bicentennial of Photography (1827–2027) emphasizes the immersive and intimate qualities of analog processes. From the chemical alchemy of the darkroom to the unique textures and imperfections of each print, Arya highlights how the physical engagement of film photography shapes both the act of making an image and the experience of viewing it. The exhibition presents a dialogue between the past and present, inviting audiences to consider how analog practices continue to inform the art of seeing.

“This exhibition is a tribute — an ode — to the practice and practitioners of photography, as we celebrate the bicentennial of the medium. Two hundred years ago, a Frenchman named Nicéphore Niépce created the first ‘photographic’ image using a camera obscura,” Arya notes.

“His colleague, Louis Daguerre, went on to invent the iconic daguerreotype process, laying the foundation for truthful likeness of the image 19th-century alchemists took image-making processes to new and inventive heights, making the arrival of photography, without doubt, one of the most impactful developments in the history of humankind.”

The exhibition pays tribute to the tactile and sensory practices that defined photography’s earliest years. Visitors encounter 19th-century treasures such as Carte de Visite portraits from Bourne & Shepherd, Darogha Abbas Ali’s Beauties of Lucknow (1870s), and Felice Beato’s stark images from the aftermath of the 1857 uprising. These works embody the moment when photography was first taking shape as both a documentary tool and a creative medium.

The early years of photography demanded precision, patience, and discipline. Cameras were cumbersome, plates fragile, and exposures long. Darkrooms were not simply spaces of production but laboratories of discovery where images slowly emerged in chemical baths. The exhibition emphasizes these processes, inviting viewers to consider the deliberate pace of early photography as central to its artistry.

“These negatives and prints are tangible objects. The analog photographs of the featured archives and individual photographers on show bear unique characteristics—grain, light leaks, and color shifts—that arise from the physical and chemical processes involved,” says Curator Aditya Arya.

“These imperfections add personality and authenticity to each image, and the inherent fragility of the medium, both in materials and process. This fragility shapes the way photographers interact with their medium and contributes to the unique character and value of analog images. Many of the glass negatives and silver prints on display show varying degrees of degradation, underscoring the ephemeral beauty and historical significance of this art form.”

One of the central themes of Touching Light is the embrace of photography’s imperfections. Grain, tonal variation, and light leaks are not treated as flaws but as signs of authenticity. In a world where digital images are perfected and replicated endlessly, the fragility of film serves as a poignant reminder of impermanence.

Arya highlights this contrast by emphasizing the discipline inherent in analog practice, remarking that the imperfections and limitations of film are not obstacles but the very qualities that give it enduring value.

“There was a discipline which has disappeared, and this discipline is rather essential to any art,” Arya says.

The exhibition also positions photography as a witness to history. In particular, Felice Beato’s photographs from Lucknow after the 1857 uprising are among the earliest visual records of colonial conflict. His images, carefully staged yet stark in their presentation, capture the aftermath of war and destruction while raising questions about photography’s role in shaping narratives of power.

Darogha Abbas Ali’s Beauties of Lucknow offers another perspective. His photographs of courtesans are not only artistic portraits but also cultural documents, preserving a world that was undergoing rapid change in the 19th century. Similarly, the colonial-era People of India series, long criticized as an instrument of ethnographic control, today provides insight into how visual representation was intertwined with governance and identity.

“Touching Light stands as a celebration of the practitioners who, through their dedication and vision, have shaped the visual history of India. It invites viewers to reflect on the enduring allure of analog photography and to honor the legacy of those who have preserved our collective memory through their craft,” Arya explains.

Alongside these historical works, Touching Light showcases contributions from 28 contemporary Indian photographers. Their works demonstrate the continued relevance of analog photography even in an era dominated by digital technology.

Avinash Pasricha’s long engagement with performing arts photography captures the nuance of movement and gesture in live performance. Prabir Purkayastha experiments with gilded prints and other traditional processes to push the boundaries of analog’s expressive possibilities. Serena Chopra’s work embodies a quiet, documentary approach, where patience and intimacy shape the relationship between the photographer and the subject.

Other participants include Ram Rahman, Rohit Chawla, and Prashant Panjiar, whose practices span journalism, fashion, and political commentary. Their contributions highlight the versatility of analog photography across various genres and contexts.

Touching Light is not only an exhibition of images but also an exploration of photography as a way of seeing and engaging with the world. The tactile rituals of analog practice, loading film, waiting for development, and anticipating results, cultivate a philosophy of attention. In contrast to the instant gratification of digital capture, film requires patience, discipline, and an acceptance of uncertainty.

The exhibition suggests that this philosophy is profoundly relevant today. In an age where images are created and consumed in an instant, analog photography reminds us of the value of slowness, fragility, and care. It also highlights the relationship between process and meaning, inviting audiences to consider how the act of making a photograph shapes what the image ultimately communicates.

With the bicentennial of photography approaching in 2027, Touching Light positions itself as both a celebration and a provocation. By pairing historical works with contemporary practice, the exhibition explores how the past informs the present and how analog traditions may continue to influence photography’s future.

Museo Camera’s initiative highlights India’s place within this global narrative. The exhibition reminds us that photography has always been both a local and international practice, shaped by cultural exchange, colonial histories, and the individual visions of artists.

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Touching Light: A Prelude to the Bicentennial of Photography (1827–2027) invites viewers to slow down and engage with photography as a tactile craft, one shaped by patience, chemistry, and deliberate artistry. By juxtaposing 19th-century milestones with contemporary analogue works, the exhibition underscores how the discipline and fragility of film continue to inform the medium’s enduring power as it approaches its bicentennial. In exploring these practices, the show highlights the timeless lessons of analog photography and their relevance for understanding the art of seeing in the twenty-first century.

The exhibition opened at Museo Camera in Gurugram on August 22 Museo Camera in Gurugram, and will remain on view through September 29.

Image credits: Museo Camera, Centre for the Photographic Arts, individual artists as credited.