Soul Survivors, was a unique photography and multimedia exhibition, which showcased photographs that Anu Malhotra had shot while filming her documentaries, ‘The Apatani of Arunachal Pradesh’ (2000) and ‘The Konyak of Nagaland’ (2001) – a part of her Tribal Wisdom series – and during her journey in Tibet (2002).
This critically acclaimed exhibition was showcased at the National Museum, New Delhi, in 2011 and at Bikaner House, New Delhi, in 2018. Anu Malhotra’s book, ‘Soul Survivors’ was published in October, 2018.
Besides being stunning photographs, Soul Survivors, documents for posterity portraits, costumes, customs and quotidian rhythms of 3 distinctive cultures, which have now become an important archival record.
With Soul Survivors, Anu hopes to heighten awareness and appreciation of some wisdom traditions that have remained valid over centuries and to celebrate the tribal spirit.
“I have always sought to capture India’s rich social and cultural heritage through my films. Today, when wise living traditions are dying and a stressful urban lifestyle is leading us into disease and discontent; we need a reminder of the value and wisdom of our time-tested ways of life that are wholesome and fulfilling.”
Anu Malhotra