Photographic Exhibit, a life’s work on 4 continents

The pictures cover four continents over a period of fifty years. It is the first photographic exhibition by Theagarajah Biswanath, a Sri Lankan national that has made the Jewel his home in the past decade. Raj’s camera recorded sights of his travels to the UK, Asia, USA and Belize. The exhibit entitled Rajah, A Photo Journey 1961-2010 is showing at the Image Factory gallery. News Five Jose Sanchez earlier today took a look at the photographs.

Jose Sanchez, Reporting

Rajah, A Photo Journey 1961-2000 is the first exhibit of Theagarajah Biswanath. The exhibit chronicles Rajah’s life and travels across continents, including his landing in Belize which has kept him in the Jewel for over a decade.

Theagarajah Biswanath, Photographer

“I spent thirty odd years in England. And I spent about ten or fifteen years in India. Though I am Sri Lankan, I think I have lived in Sri Lanka only about four or five years.  And then I was living seven years in the U.S. And in Belize I am on the tenth year.”

Jose Sanchez

You’re a world traveler. The images from India what are they?

Theagarajah Biswanath

Theagarajah Biswanath

“They are mainly temples, and also natural light, a farmer of plowing, or a bearcat guy. Those types of things only I think is displayed.

Some photos are from decades in which the world only saw in black and white.

Theagarajah Biswanath

“I took the place Trafalgar Square, and Picadilly Circus. That was the first picture of the snow when I saw it 1961, December 26^th.

Jose Sanchez

“In addition to sceneries, streets, you also have photos of nature. What are those?”

Theagarajah Biswanath

“Those are all flowers from Mrs. Ponanbalam’s garden in Cayo and every week I go I see a different flower. So I’ve been doing photographs of the flowers. It inspires me hell of a lot.”

Jose Sanchez

“Any picture from your native homeland?”

Theagarajah Biswanath

“There’s only two or three pictures only from Sri Lanka.”

But despite the fact that his lens has covered four continents, he is particularly fond of Belize.

Theagarajah Biswanath

“The thing with Belize it inspires me all the time and anytime I can take the camera, just shoot a picture, it gives me that kind of a feeling. Sometimes I’m in the office and I feel like taking the camera and shooting the sea. There are times that I’ve taken pictures and the sea is like a sheet. And there are times that I see the waves. It’s very difficult to describe it. Sometimes I get carried away.”

Jose Sanchez

“The monuments and statues seem to have a religious theme to them.”

Theagarajah Biswanath

“The statues in that one was Lord Shiva’s which I took before I left to England which was in 1961. I am a very spiritual person myself and I’ve always loved the temples. It’s very serene and it gives me a feeling which I cannot describe. That’s why I’ve taken all the temples.”

Jose Sanchez

“People who come to see your first exhibit—what would you want them to remember? What would you want them to know when they leave?”

Theagarajah Biswanath

“I have made pictures of varieties, I think so. So when they go they will have a complete panoramic thing. I am not focused to one country or to one aspect.”

Reporting for News Five, Jose Sanchez.

Rajah’s exhibit will be opened on Friday night at seven.