Anita Khemka (b. 1972) read English Literature at Delhi University and studied Visual Merchandising from La Salle, Singapore before she decided to become a photographer in 1995. Her photographic practice has since endeavoured to find meaning in her relationships with individuals and communities. She has closely followed the lives of socially marginalized and communities — abandoned widows, people with intellectual disability, addictions, HIV and AIDS, political minorities, sexual and gender minorities.
Khemka’s work on alternative sexuality was the basis of a German film, Between the Lines – India’s Third Gender in 2005. Self-portraits, a series of colour photographs was included in group exhibitions in Helsinki (2011), Stockholm (2010), London & Barcelona (2009), Paris (2007) and Frankfurt (2006). Her work, Pellet Identity, produced in collaboration with her partner, Imran Kokiloo was exhibited at FotoFest international in Houston, Texas (2018). During the pandemic, the couple produced Shared Solitude (2020-ongoing)—family portraits staged outside the studio as well as the familiar surroundings of homes.
03.11.23 –
18.02.24
Magazzino Delle Idee, Trieste, Italy
Junaid Shafi and his cat, Cookie
From the series, Shared Solitude
Pigment print
54 × 44 in (137.2 × 111.8 cm)
Bimla, Pooja, and Arhan
From the series, Shared Solitude
Pigment print
14 × 16.7 in (35.6 × 42.4 cm)
Shalini, Nidheesh, Os, Lama and their dogs, Zeus and Lolakutty
From the series, Shared Solitude
Pigment print
19.3 × 23.7 in (40 × 60.2 cm)
Vasantha and Manjeera
From the series, Shared Solitude
Pigment print
32 × 23.9 in (81.3 × 60.7 cm)
Nilima
From the series, Shared Solitude
Pigment print
23.7 × 19.3 in (60.2 × 49 cm)
Rehan and Nargis
From the series, Shared Solitude
Pigment print
17.3 × 21 in (43.9 × 53.3 cm)
Kanika, Madhu and Aanya
From the series, Shared Solitude
Pigment print
15.7 × 19 in (39.9 × 48.3 cm)
Zaara, Prema, Anita, Saroj, Azah and Imran
From the series, Shared Solitude
Pigment print
28.8 × 35.5 in (73.1 × 90.2 cm)
Siyona, Rigya and Sanju
From the series, Shared Solitude
Pigment print
9.75 × 12 in (24.9 × 30.5 cm)
Shakuntala Kapoor
From the series, Shared Solitude
Pigment print
21 × 17.3 in (53.3 × 43.9 cm)
Saloni and Ushinor
From the series, Shared Solitude
Pigment print
14 × 16.7 in (35.6 × 42.4 cm)
Naina and Preeti
From the series, Shared Solitude
Pigment print
44 × 54 in (111.8 × 137.2 cm)
Daksh, Anurag, Geeta, Dhruv and their dog, Ginger
From the series, Shared Solitude
Pigment print
19.4 × 23.7 in (49.3 × 60.2 cm)
Ayesha, Deepak, Jayalaxmi, Anirudh and their dog, Rustom
From the series, Shared Solitude
Pigment print
19.3 × 23.7 in (49 × 60.2 cm)