In Her Work, Photographer Keerthana Kunnath Rewrites the Past As She Believes It Should Have Been

AGE: 28
BASED IN: Kerala, India/London
NOMINATED BY: Nadine Ijewere

I feel art is meant to empower—myself as an artist and the community around me. There is a responsibility to be true to the subjects you’re portraying. Growing up, I was fascinated by the indigenous and traditional art forms of my community back in Kerala. I would watch performances at our temples or cinema and then create narratives and backstories around them. My narratives are more informed now, as I strive to understand the political and cultural interconnectedness within the themes I explore.

I’m eager to work with poets, activists, writers, stylists, and others, as I believe that can add so many more layers to the work. Over the past few years, my work has evolved significantly, transitioning from fashion to documentary to fine art, and now I’m interested in merging these worlds. When audiences view my images, I want them to feel seen and understood. My visuals often represent conversations I've longed to have or reflections from my past, reinterpreted in the way they should have been.

When audiences view my images, I want them to feel seen and understood. My visuals often represent conversations I've longed to have or reflections from my past, reinterpreted in the way they should have been.