Photographer Udit Kulshrestha is the Edge of Humanity Magazine contributor of this portrait/documentary photography. From the project ‘The Skin I’m In’. To see Udit’s body of work, click on any photograph.

“Without Dignity, Identity is Erased.”

Laura Hillenbrand

The Skin I’m In, explores aspects of identity, beauty, dignity and gender issues of a protected and vulnerable indigenous tribe in a conflicted land, adding depth to the artists’ pursuit in representing the Un-Seen.

The face itself is a river of languages with its myriad expressions and nuances that do not need even words to communicate.

Facial tattoos for the indigenous have been a symbol of identification. Of self. Of belonging and of specific regions. A ritualistic process, tattoos allowed women to symbolize their own area, location and sense of self that was displayed with particular patterns.

The use of leather in Skin I’m In, is not merely a medium, it’s a symbiotic participant in the narrative. Leather is a symbol of endurance, protection and connection, to the natural world as well as a tactical reflection of identity. This choice of material invites viewers to engage with the expression on a sensory level, feeling the texture and grain of the leather as they reflect on the deeper silent themes of cultural persistence and the resilience of the indigenous communities in India.

Using the medium of Photography and historical photographic processes, the artist formulated a photography emulsion sensitive to Ultra-Violet spectrum of Sunlight, binding it to the medium of Leather.

The Lower Hill & River Basin based Kutiya Kanda women from Odisha underwent painful facial tattooing to protect their dignity from the invading Hill tribes and colonial British. In time, these inked veils, added to their identity.

An almost spiritual tradition, facial tattoos belied a woman’s being and belonging. Her identity was imprinted on her perhaps, but with her will and sanction at the time, not making it about a weaker gender but a gender that bore the clan crest on their bodies. So that everyone could see where they came from. With dignity and grace, each woman here represents her family. Her Tribe. Her village and her ancestral pride that is carried through her life, as a matter of pride.

Text by: Udit Kulshrestha & Jayati Rajgarhia

“I am more than what you see on the surface. There’s depth to me, layers you will never understand.”

Sharon G Flake (from her book – The Skin I’m In)

All images and text © Udit Kulshrestha

An army officer’s son from a family with rich artistic lineage, Udit Kulshrestha spent his childhood travelling the length and breadth of the country. His remarkable skill in understanding and documenting culture and society had its genesis here. With childhood influences into the Arts, with his paternal uncle being a reputed wedding photographer in small border town in Rajasthan, his grandfather having taught music to the famed Ghazal maestro Jagjit Singh and his maternal grandmother being India's first Oscar winner - it was a matter of time till he found his calling. Kulshrestha’s storytelling perspectives are not easily realized. They are the outcome of extensive research and experiential somewhere with his subjects – exploring philosophy, literature, design, politics and film - in pursuit of comprehension. A keen observer and a watchful eye, coupled with the tools of photography, whether its commission or assignments related to photographic expressions or grants or his personal expression in challenging the medium of photography in the domain of contemporary visual arts, he strives hard to create honestly and ethically, whether its for corporate, editorial and journalistic, Government & Non Profit and CSR initiatives as well as Art related Institutional clients. He also undertakes pro-bono work for artists and few progressive and developmental societal causes that are dear to him. Complete profile HERE