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India in All Its Facets
India in All Its Facets
Johannes Barthelmes
July 3, 2025
With his series Just India, Leica photographer and LFI Gallery member Johannes Barthelmes turns the spotlight on three of India’s most fascinating cities: Varanasi, Old Delhi, and Kolkata. At the heart of the showcase is the human experience, captured in compelling images of rituals and everyday life.
An especially strong focus is placed on Varanasi, the spiritual capital of Hinduism. This is where Barthelmes bore witness to moments of great depth: ritual ablutions in the Ganges, meditating Sadhus, and cremation ceremonies that reflect the belief in a liberation from the cycle of rebirth. The series also comprises vibrant, at times chaotic scenes of life in Old Delhi and Kolkata – with striking contrasts between noise and stillness, narrow alleyways and open spaces, hardship and dignity. Especially poignant, however, are his portraits of homeless children, known as “railway kids”.
The exhibition opens on July 3, 2025 with a reception starting at 5 p.m. On July 19, this is followed by an artist talk featuring Johannes Barthelmes together with gallery owner Klaus Memmert.
David RojkowskiAn especially strong focus is placed on Varanasi, the spiritual capital of Hinduism. This is where Barthelmes bore witness to moments of great depth: ritual ablutions in the Ganges, meditating Sadhus, and cremation ceremonies that reflect the belief in a liberation from the cycle of rebirth. The series also comprises vibrant, at times chaotic scenes of life in Old Delhi and Kolkata – with striking contrasts between noise and stillness, narrow alleyways and open spaces, hardship and dignity. Especially poignant, however, are his portraits of homeless children, known as “railway kids”.
The exhibition opens on July 3, 2025 with a reception starting at 5 p.m. On July 19, this is followed by an artist talk featuring Johannes Barthelmes together with gallery owner Klaus Memmert.
© Johannes Barthelmes
Johannes Barthelmes+-
Johannes Barthelmes is a photographer and musician, who sees the two art forms as different and beautiful ways of reaching the same goal. Born in Speyer in 1953, he has been living in Berlin since 1980. After a break in music for health reasons, he was led to photography in 1998. Since then, he has been working with various Leica cameras – the choice of Leica being an absolute conviction. Right from the start, he wanted to primarily photograph people. His exhibitions have taken him to Spain, Cuba, Malaysia and India. He has been making music again since 2020 – inspired by the musicality of the Cuban people. More
