Increase your visual vocabulary... An interview with Mobeen Ansari

Mobeen Ansari: The photographer with a difference

1. Do tell us a little about yourself. Who inspired you on this creative journey that you have excelled at today?

I was born in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. The most defining part of my life came rather early on, to be precise at just 3 weeks after my birth! I suffered from a severe meningitis attack due to which I lost hearing in both my ears. While I was fitted with hearing aids early on, I had to depend on visuals for my early learning. This made me fond of drawing and sculpting. Arts became a passion at a very young age.

This passion for arts stuck with me and so I took it up as a subject in 8th grade (O levels) and by then digital cameras had started emerging. Fortunately my father had one too which I would take to school. I would photograph the school grounds, portraits of my classmates and my teachers, apart from a whole host of pictures on nature. My love for photography grew and I got a DSLR in my A levels.

I pursued photography as a part time profession while I was in college and it was during this time I started travelling, discovering stories and actually doing some photography.

2. Mobeen at the very beginning we would like to know as part of the common class of citizens nowhere attached with politics, what are your views on India?

My grandparents migrated from India (during partition) and I still have both paternal and maternal relatives living in Bombay and Bhopal, so the personal connection to India has always been there.

Having been there once and having many friends and family there, I believe India is home to so much.

Currently, I am working on a collaborative project with Arpana Gvalani, who is the music curator at Kala Godha Arts Festival and co-owner of Gostana restaurant in Khar. She also manages my work for me in India. At this point I would like to share with you a wonderful example of how close the two countries are: Arpana's father migrated from Karachi, and her maternal family migrated from Sukkur. I have been to both their ancestral Mandirs and photographed them as well. I have another friend, whose family migrated from Rawalpindi city, where I was born. In exploring these things, we discovered there's so much heritage and commonality between the two countries.

The other example is Naseeruddin Shah. Before I left for India, my grandmother told me that we are related to him. She drew me a family tree which connected us and we had one missing link. I was told to give that to him when I meet him. I did and we discovered what our relation was and he knew my grandmother's first cousin!

These personal attachments to India are very emotional and overwhelming for me as an individual. There are thousands and thousands of examples of many other people. I believe both India and Pakistan have much to learn from each other and strengths to build on.

3. As someone who is blessed with a talent of Photography, how comfortable would you be to work on an Indo- Pak heritage Project?

Like they say art transcends barriers, including that of India and Pakistan and we can see that through the exhibitions, concerts and literary festivals happening on both sides of the border, with involvement of artists on both sides as well.

That said, I would be very happy to work on such a project. Like I said, I have family origins in India and connection to India and I'm also collaborating on an Indo-Pak project, so this would be a privilege.

4. How do you believe showcasing the lesser known beauty of Pakistan to the world and India in particular would affect the mindset of the people?

My primary mission as a photographer has always been to show Pakistan in positive light. I have attempted to do this by photographing landscapes and cultures, and by putting together my first book titled ‘Dharkan: the Heartbeat of a Nation,' which features portraits and stories of Pakistani people from all walks of life, famous and unsung, who have had an impact on the country.

A few people read a story in 'Dharkan' about this lady (Parveen Saeed) who feeds thousands of people for 3 rupees a day and wanted to donate. It was not only inspiring for them to read such a humane story, but allowed them to reach out and help her. It has felt very rewarding to know that this kind of impact had been made. This went beyond projecting a softer image of Pakistan and became about humans helping each other.

Showcasing landscapes and other places encourages tourism and travelling, which in itself is rewarding.

I believe all that would clear misconceptions and bridge divides.

5. What are your thoughts on the current talks between the 2 countries?

It truly is the step in the right direction and long overdue. I hope that this leads to long term decisions and solutions steering away from the "usual" cycle of derailed talks.

I believe that both nations can learn so much from each other and needless to say both have a whole world in common. Put aside the political and diplomatic front and you will see so many examples. For one, the Sikh Baisakhi festival in Punja Sahib. Indian pilgrims come every year and when you see them outside the Gurudwara, you see them chatting and having tea with the locals as if they were neighbors all their lives. Exactly the same happens with Baba Guru Nanak's birthday festival in Nankana Sahib. You will find it difficult to differentiate the Indian from the Pakistani here.

Take for example, on the Kashmir side, residents of villages Karein (Pakistan) and Kupwara (India) of both countries are divided by a river-border. They are relatives and get messages across by shouting over the loud sound of the river! They even sing to each other!

6. If you just had to meet an enthusiastic Indian willing to learn more about your country how would you describe Pakistan in one line?

We are your family, and like family members growing up together and knowing more about each other, we need to do the same!

7. Have you covered India in photographs at any stage of your career?

I was in Bombay two years ago, for a collaborative project between myself and Arpana Gvalani, who is a music curator at Kala Godha Arts Festival and co-owner of Gostana restaurant in Khar.

The idea was to discover commonalities between the two countries, and to show Indian actors as seen through a Pakistani photographer's eyes. We worked with Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi, Anupam Kher, Johnny Lever, Tisca Chopra, Kalki Koechlin and a few others.

This is a continuing project which will take some time so I will be visiting often.

8. If you had to tell us one place in Pakistan that all must visit which place would it be?

I have many favourites to choose from. Everyone knows Pakistan's Northern Areas are very famous. I would choose Broghil (also known as Wakhan Corridor). I visited there last summer for a trek and may return this summer as well. It truly is an incredible place where cultures mix, and landscapes vary from rolling green slopes to snow capped mountains to high altitude passes.

I hope that the visa restrictions are done away with soon so that anyone can visit there.

9. Do share with us your most memorable experience in this photographic journey.

So much to choose from in my 13 years as a photographer (and a long way to go yet!). I've been fortunate to have travelled across incredible places and to have met and photographed so many amazing people, including many famous Presidents to actors.

But the most memorable, hard hitting experience was when I photographed a gutter cleaner 4 years ago. For the first time I saw resilience and resolve looking at me straight in the eye. The man I photographed would go inside many times a day, a profession in which as many as 6 die every year, earning a meager 5000 rupees per month. He would still go to work to feed his family and his country. I then found out there were many others like him.

This stuck with me for so many years that 5 months ago, I decided to make my first film, based on this very subject. It is called 'Hellhole'.

10. As you are aware we at the Lighthouse Project have started a Photo blog where we are trying to showcase both the beauty of India and Pakistan on one platform. What is your advice to our young photographers?

I believe there are two very important ways to do this, at least from my experience.

The first and foremost one being practice- under the practice umbrella comes shooting as much as you can, polishing photographic skills and looking up works of classic and contemporary photographers every day, both online, through exhibitions and photography books. This helps with inspiration and forming your visual vocabulary.

The other way is covering more stories of the normal, of the unseen, of the off the beaten path. Mainstream stories are exhausted and overused.

Allow me to trail off in my thoughts for a bit. Today in Hollywood we see either reboots, remakes or rehashes. Even original films bear resemblance to older films. Although a different situation here, we need to avoid that happening in photography. I think we need to go deeper in the streets, do more community outreach, and find richer stories among us.