Prabaker

 

2010

 
Man dressed in white looking out moving train in India. Red train leaving station. Part of "Prabaker" (2010) series by artist and photographer Paola Cassola.
Several women on train dressed in bright clothes. One woman drinking from red bottle. Woman standing with flower shirt. Woman behind standing with green top. Blue interiors of train in India. Part of "Prabaker" (2010) series by artist and photographe
People walking on platform at train station. High contrast image of men dressed in black and white. One couple walks in center of image, woman wears blue traditional clothing. Two red trains stand on each side of platform. Part of "Prabaker" (2010) s
Woman helps child pee onto train tracks from platform at station. People walk behind her. Old station in India. Part of "Prabaker" (2010) series by artist and photographer Paola Cassola.
Large truck rear with blue building behind on street in India. Part of "Prabaker" (2010) series by artist and photographer Paola Cassola.
Elephant statue brought down road, seen from inside marble building. Man sits on chair on the left, looking outside. Part of "Prabaker" (2010) series by artist and photographer Paola Cassola.
Colourful clothes hang from ceiling. Behind cloths, people sit at tables sharing food and talking. Decorative interior and flowers. Part of "Prabaker" (2010) series by artist and photographer Paola Cassola.
Coloured dust and waste next to sea, behind rocks. Cost of India. Part of "Prabaker" (2010) series by artist and photographer Paola Cassola.
Indian barracks and clothes hanging. Part of "Prabaker" (2010) series by artist and photographer Paola Cassola.
Tourist couple sits at table on beach having drinks. Man with grey tank top looks at camera. Bamboo beach umbrellas in background. Part of "Prabaker" (2010) series by artist and photographer Paola Cassola.
"Fisher" bottle close-up on hand with Mehndi (Indian hand painting) drawings. Beach, sand and water in background. Part of "Prabaker" (2010) series by artist and photographer Paola Cassola.
Plant with flowers hanging from gate and wall, old car in background. Silhouette of man on right of gate. Part of "Prabaker" (2010) series by artist and photographer Paola Cassola.

Prabaker (2010)

 

Photographic prints

 
 

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

 

This series is inspired by Shantaram, an autobiographical 2003 novel by Gregory David Roberts, in which a convicted Australian bank robber and heroin addict escapes from Pentridge Prison and flees to India to live what he describes as “the Bombay dream”. The title comes from one of the main character in the novel, Prabaker, is not only the writer’s best friend; he's also his guide to India, a ticket to “real” Bombay and the only native character in the novel with any sort of dimension, he represents the entire native population up against the colorful cast of foreigners. Cassola imagined being guided by him discovering the Indian culture and reporting what she experienced.