Toda, from the Series Native Women of South India 2003

Pushpamala N created the photographic work, Toda, as part of her series, Native Women of South India. The sepia tone gives it a staged, historical feel. The figure of the woman is rigidly posed in the center of the composition. Behind her, a checkered backdrop creates a visual field of contrasting squares. This grid destabilizes our sense of depth and perspective, flattening the image and creating a sense of artificiality. The woman's gaze is direct, challenging the viewer's perception of her as simply an object of ethnographic study. The formal elements of the composition disrupt conventional representation, prompting reflection on the power dynamics inherent in documentary photography. It invites us to question the objectivity of visual representation and the construction of identity.