Déjà vu

“I click therefore you are” writes Tapu Javeri in the slim coffee-table book, Tapulicious, a collection of photographs taken by Javeri over his career spanning several decades, and retailing at Rs 4,000.

The book features an assortment of images, about half of which are reprinted without explanation from Javeri’s earlier work I, Voyeur. Several are fashion-oriented and may even thus have merited the bold opening line, ‘’I click therefore you are’’ – a witty take on fashion’s self-obsession, inherent self-promotion and narcissism, perhaps an allusion to the Hello culture of people gaining importance for no reason other than their image being seen repeatedly.

Some photographs, however, are of vast talents, celebrities from the days when achievements were required to be famous, a bygone era, featuring Mehdi Hassan and Madam Noorjehan. I’d like to think that if somebody had told Noorjehan that she existed because somebody took a photograph of her, the conversation would end with a swiftly administered sandal to his head. Still, one can only enjoy the raptures of speculation as Javeri himself doesn’t comment on any of the photographs in this collection, allowing them to speak for themselves, perhaps because of the strength of the photos or because of the inefficiency of his editor/publishers who ought perhaps to have advised some text to highlight aspects of Javeri’s work.

The young Bhuttos, Ghinwa, Fatima and Zulfikar Junior, in their Sunday bests at 70 Clifton, appear regal, poised for power that they know awaits them. The image of Anita Ayub in a burka on the beach made headlines when it was printed in the Herald (it was around the time images of her posing topless with a hat covering her chest created waves in India) and a whole assortment of fashion photography is a testament to Javeri’s skills and abilities to push the boundaries. Aaminah Haq shot underwater is one example of that. Meera posing as Eve, apple in hand, is another.

The images also remind us of the groundbreaking work publications like Xtra or Herald published. Currently there is little in terms of avant garde photography in publications; fashion shoots are “pretty” but don’t stand out, there is a sense of sameness to them. Rarely do images arrest. This is not the fault of photographers whose numbers are on the rise but it is telling that 20 years on, Javeri has no heir apparent much like Arif Mahmood is still recognised as a tour de force in black and white portraitures. A new league of photographers, be they inspired by their mentors, or creating innovative images in digital mediums have no avenues to showcase their work to a reading public. This should give editors food for thought, namely that they must invest in photography to enhance their publications so that overpriced coffee tables books aren’t left as the only forum in which to publish high quality photographs.

Still Waters, an event management company who appear to also dabble in publishing have shown their ability to gather Pakistan’s Pretty Young Things, roll out a red carpet and provide canapés. This has been their strength for all their publications, starting with their debut, the poetry collection Skin, last year. As a publishing house, they should consider paying some attention to the content. If Still Waters truly wishes to provide a boost to the local publishing market, reprinting old photographs and throwing a party to persuade people to buy them again isn’t going to do it.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 29^th, 2010.