Tenzing Dakpa debuts new photographic series at Experimenter Kolkata

Tenzing Dakpa presents two new series, Manifest (2023) and Weather Report (2023), in his first solo exhibition at Experimenter in Kolkata, on view through 27 July. The photographer, based in Goa, documents manmade fire aftermaths in North Goa and natural landscapes affected by time and climate. Dakpa gained recognition with The Hotel, a series begun in 2014/15 and published as a book in 2020, which explored his family's hotel in Gangtok, Sikkim, and was shown at the 2022 Kochi-Muziris Biennale. His work often examines identity as a second-generation Tibetan, influenced by experiences in Delhi where he faced racism and violence, prompting his move to Goa in 2017 after studies in Providence, Rhode Island, and a year in New York. Dakpa's process involves maintaining distance while photographing, allowing images to shape projects retrospectively, with recent works featuring crumpled paper prints and grid compositions that challenge photographic materiality. He also references Buddhist philosophy in his approach, seen in series like Ari/Ramaluk (2021) and God's Gift (2023), which address human impact on landscapes. His parents, who run the hotel, responded humorously to The Hotel series, while Dakpa now learns embroidery from his mother, reflecting a family emphasis on handmade labor.