Our world would look very different today if it hadn’t been for the critics, the nonconformists, the visionaries and the progressives who dared to challenge or disrupt societal truths. The ability for image-makers to direct the viewer’s gaze and create collective awareness has repeatedly proven to be an instigator for change and mutual understanding.

With her captivating images, Keerthana Kunnath touches on themes like sexuality, queerness, womanhood and mental health which are not often discussed in her homeland of South India. For the series Not What You Saw she captured female bodybuilders flexing their muscles, while framing them within the lush landscapes of Kerela. The women, standing solid like rocks, invite the viewer to question preconceptions of what a woman could and should look like - and ask us to think again. "The title speaks to that moment of realisation as a quiet correction. It acknowledges that what we thought we knew, what we believed to be typical or acceptable, is shifting."

The project began quite organically, so Kunnath. She started by meeting a few female bodybuilders from the region, and gradually that number grew to more than a dozen. Over time she began to understand the depth of their commitment, the physical demands of the sport, the emotional strain and the financial pressures that come with choosing this career. Determined to create visibility and respect for these women, Kunnath began documenting their journeys more intimately. She followed them to competitions, spent time outside the shoots, and got to know their friends and families.

Not What You Saw tells the stories of Aishu, Bhumika, Jannat, Kavitha, Sandra and many others, who oscillate between domestic life and the weight room. Through Kunnath’s lens we observe their bodies transform through intense training cycles, witnessing how setbacks shaped them, and how their goals continue to evolve with their confidence. Empowerment here receives a whole new meaning.

On that note, Happy International Women’s Day!

-> Not What You Saw will be on view at Foam this fall.

KEERTHANA KUNNATH is a London-based Indian artist who uses her medium to initiate conversations around socio-cultural issues. Through her practice, she tackles themes such as sexuality, queerness, womanhood and mental health which are not often discussed in her homeland of South India.  

KATY HUNDERTMARK is an Amsterdam-based artist, editor and curator with a special interest in art practices that reframe and expand the photographic canon. Previously she worked as Programme Assistant at Stills Centre for Photography (Edinburgh) as well as co-editor of the photography publication Notes – Letters to Photography. She currently works as managing editor of Foam Magazine as well as curator at Foam Museum and writes a Substack newsletter on all things photography and publishing, called Dear Midnight. Through an international approach she aims to create cross-cultural connections and mutual understanding between makers, audiences and institutions worldwide. She has lectured at art schools like for example ECAL (Lausanne), KABK (The Hague) and LABA (Valencia).