Saurabh Das, Indian, born 1972
Untitled, 2009
Saurabh Das uses photography to document the ongoing suffering of the Bhopal people following the deadly methyl isocyanate leak from the Union Carbide (now Dow Chemical) factory in 1984. In its wake, the toxic gas leak was fatal to thousands and spread about fifteen miles around the plant. Even though the factory was deserted and cleaned of waste, the Bhopal people are still struggling to survive. There are second and third generation children of survivors who are being born with disabilities. This portrait is of a young girl who is dependent on her caregivers to sustain her life. Her physical appearance including her sunken eyes and bony cheekbones displays the ongoing legacy of the Bhopal incident. Das arranges the photo upside down so the girl’s eyes peer despairingly into the camera, creating feelings of unease. Label by Elsa Rall