My name is Madhur Dhingra and I am fine art photographer based in both Toronto (Canada )  &  New Delhi (India )

I was born an only child to my parents, in Delhi, into a family torn apart by the aftermath of the India-Pakistan partition. Hailing from an affluent background in Pakistan my family was now struggling for survival in the walled city of Delhi totally penniless. Embedded with deep insecurities and freshly bearing the scars of partition my family started setting up trade in the walled city, dealing in fabric. It is relevant for me to mention this background for these insecurities I too inherited from my family and they remain with me till date even with the changed times and lifestyle.

Things improved financially with the trade flourishing and much because of the sheer hard work of my grandfather, father & uncles. We settled in Delhi at the start as big joint family. My father could never get over those scars of partition. I too was repeatedly made to realize that (for better or for worse), even though I was born much later in Delhi.

At the age of four I was put to school at St.Xavier’s High School, Delhi. That period was to become the most memorable part of my life. I remember enjoying school life thoroughly. I was an above average student with a lot of love for extracurricular activities. After school I went to the Delhi University and took up ‘English Honours’ as my subject. But it was  nowhere in my mind to take up studies serious. Restless from the start I had always wanted to travel the world.

I joined the Merchant Navy at the age of seventeen, as a deck cadet leaving college in the first year itself. I loved this new experience and was good at learning navigation. Soon I was promoted to become the navigating officer. The first year I never even thought of coming back home. I was busy fulfilling my desire to see the world and meeting different types of people and experiencing different kinds of cultures.

Restlessness and void again set in fast. I was getting bored again after five years of sailing. Novelty had worn off and my temperament and upbringing was not that of a sailor in most ways . I finally decided to say quits and join the family business which was waiting for me to return. My dad was overjoyed at my decision.

After some years of handling family business, the same restlessness and void set in again . I was  in a dilemma, trying out  new ways to end this emptiness . I initially tried my hands at learning sculpture,  soon to realize that medium was not for me. Destiny seemed to have other plans for me. It was during this period that I was gifted a SLR, a basic Ricoh 500 by a relative . The camera body had a dial with some numbers and also some numbers on the lens of which I had no clue about. There were a photography course being held in Triveni Kala Sangam, a prestigious art centre in Delhi. I joined its classes.  It was here that my journey with photography started.

Soon my ambitions grew and I start shooting ‘product’  for advertising agencies. I also decided to work towards my first solo exhibition.  I was lucky to get my show sponsored by the prestigious art centre in Delhi named India International Centre. This show was a major success with major newspapers and art critics writing good words about it. It was also very controversial because of some hair raising  social issues raised by some of my images.

My real passion lies in  shooting random happenings and unknown faces on streets in my own style. I keep experimenting with new techniques & style to make my images unique.  I shoot in- studio and on the streets, handling both studio and ambient light artistically.  I am a strong believer in photography being a lifelong affair with learning and experimenting. Personally I tend to get bored soon doing similar images. As a photographer I have an inherent urge to continuously evolve both in style and technique. It is pertinent to say here that my images reflect to a large extent the void and emptiness I carry inside me since my childhood.

Isolation resulting because of the Covid 19 pandemic made me search rigorously for a style which I could call entirely my own. My current style of work is a result of that very search.  Many international magazines and galleries  have published my recent work  and called it unique. I have also recently concluded a solo sponsored  show in France held from 19th December To 31st December 2022. It was a major success with all 20 out of the 20 images displayed getting sold. Four major french newspapers wrote highly of my work. My style of work was highly appreciated by the french audience.

I  am shooting continuously  refining both my images and  thoughts.  A  personal search for a meaning to life dominates my photography. The year 2023-24 should hopefully bring in the culmination of my thoughts and images in the form of some coffee table books.

Life  for me as a photographer  continues………….