Buku Sarkar's Photography Series Explores Women's Embodiment Through Collaborative Portraiture

Photographer Buku Sarkar has developed a new series titled 'Women and Bodies' that examines the complex relationships women have with their physical forms. This project represents a significant shift from her previous seven-year practice of creating self-portraits, which began in 2013 after she developed an undiagnosed neurological condition similar to Parkinson's that impaired her ability to write. During that period, photography became her primary means of expression, documenting her own physical changes and emotional resilience through intimate self-portraiture. Her latest work expands this inquiry outward through collaborative photography with other women, creating a shared space for reflection on embodiment. The series addresses themes including beauty standards, censorship, physical form, and how gender influences perception. Sarkar's approach emphasizes authenticity over conventional aesthetics, focusing on presence, scars, textures, and gestures as narrative elements. Central to the project is an interrogation of the gaze—questioning who looks, who is seen, and under what conditions. By fostering a collaborative process, she challenges passive viewing and emphasizes mutual respect and authorship. The resulting body of work functions as both personal exploration and political statement, offering an expansive understanding of beauty through the lived experiences of the women photographed.