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Royal Ontario Museum Workshops

Lala Dean Dayal and the Colonial Photograph

Learn how photography functioned as a tool of both documentation & representation during the colonial period by examining photos taken by prominent photographer Lala Deen Dayal. Registration required.

As one of the most prominent Indian photographers of his time, Lala Deen Dayal captured a wide range of subjects, from Indian royalty and British officials to architectural landmarks, offering a complex visual record of colonial India. Drawing on the extensive research of Deepali Dewan, curator of Global South Asia at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), this lecture will focus on a selection of Dayal’s photographs held in the ROM's collection to explore how photography functioned as a tool of both documentation and representation during the colonial period. Critically reflecting on how imagery was crafted and circulated, and what it reveals about power, identity, and cultural exchange, participants will gain insight into Dayal’s technical skill and artistic choices while considering the broader implications of visual culture in 19th-century India.

Presented in partnership with the ROM. Registration required

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