Copy used at Howies Carnaby street exhibition

The copy used in Jim Shannon and Toby Deveson's exhibition of images taken at Holi 2011In March 2011, Jim Shannon and Toby Deveson travelled to India to photograph, amongst other things, Holi festival. The resulting images form a narrative of intense fun, intrigue, drama and tradition told in an original and surprising way.

While their passion for photography has evolved from similar roots and backgrounds, their methods could not be more different. Colour and black and white bounce off each other, complementing, and yet at other times competing with each other. Film and digital stand apart, sometimes whispering, but also shouting about their differences: subtle, painterly and almost biblical alongside sharp, honest and vivid.

Both sets of work could stand alone, successfully depicting the wonderful festival of Holi, and yet Jim and Toby have chosen to bring them together in this intriguing project, each adding dimensions and elements, not only to each other’s work but to the visualisation of the festival.

And it is the festival itself that stands to gain the most from this collaboration. A feast of exuberance, music, dance and colour, celebrating the arrival of spring and the birth of Krishna. Holi encapsulates and represents everything that is remarkable about India and is amongst the most vivid, intense and inclusive of all spring festivals.

This collaboration between Jim and Toby, this alchemy of techniques and mediums feeding off each other, truly brings the festival to life for those unlucky enough not to have been there in person.

And it is thanks to Howies that this small taster is here to tease us and to coax their larger and more ambitious show to life, details of which will be posted on their websites in the near future.

Related Images

Holi - an exhibition by Jim Shannon and Toby Deveson at Howies on Carnaby Street in London, 2011

Holi - an exhibition by Jim Shannon and Toby Deveson at Howies on Carnaby Street in London, 2011

Holi - an exhibition by Jim Shannon and Toby Deveson at Howies on Carnaby Street in London, 2011

Latest

Swarm

It was as simple as ‘get to the top of Finland and turn left’.  At least that is

Blink and you’ll miss it

Iceland. Never has the essence of a country so closely resembled the way in which I see the

Under the Stars in Madagascar

There are times when writing about memories from as far back as my eighteenth year feels wrong. How

Viewpoints

The Rooftop Collective exhibition edition VI Tempus Fugit. So they say. Here we are again, another Rooftop Collective

Memories

Swarm

It was as simple as ‘get to the top of Finland and turn left’.  At least that is

Failed trips or the art of flexibility

Failure can be a strong word. It’s no big deal, and not something I am particularly hung up

Choreographed Papal baby blessings

The day of the Pope’s visit to London was all about the protests and marches for us. That

Madagascan Hissing Cockroaches

When you are on a 64 hour journey down the spine of Madagascar on the back of a

Randomly Selected

Marjoram and Fireflies

At the end of a long day driving, walking and taking photographs around the north western mountains in

Speedometers and Bikes

When cycling around Eastern Europe it was very low-tech for Morgan and I. Our decision was spur of

Trailer for the crowdfunding campaign

I absolutely adore this little film by Jim. I asked him to put something together with existing footage

Equipment and Materials used – The Lens

A SOLIGOR F2.5 24MM I do own a 50mm as well as a 135mm, but to be honest