Vasantha

Yogananthan

Vasantha Yogananthan is a photo-based artist, living and working in Paris, France. In his practice, Yogananthan draws inspiration from painting, leading him to work with genres of still life, portrait and landscape. His photographic works expand the borders of these genres and come together through a distinct colour palette, using only natural light. In 2017, Yogananthan was selected for Foam Talent with his longstanding series A Myth of Two Souls.

Along with his photography practice, Yogananthan is the co-founder of the publishing house Chose Commune. In 2021, he received a Juror’s Special Mention at the Paris Photo-Aperture Foundation Photobook Award for Amma, the seventh and last book of his series A Myth of Two Souls. Yogananthan’s work has won several prestigious awards and recognitions including the ICP Infinity Award: Emerging Photographer of the Year (2017); Prix Levallois (2016); Prix Roger Pic (2015); Ideas Tap/Magnum Photos International Award (2015); and Magnum Photos ‘Top 30 Under 30.’ Yogananthan’s work has been exhibited in venues including Galerie de L’Escale, France; SAGE Paris Gallery; Musée Albert-Kahn, Paris; and Bibliothèque Nationale de France.

The work of Vasantha Yogananthan as shown at Galerie Mercatorplein 2018 © Foam
Installation shot of the works by Vasantha Yogananthan in the exhibition Foam Talent in London © Foam

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Foam Talent 2017

In 2017, Vasantha Yogananthan was one of the twenty selected artists for Foam Talent, the annual open call for young photographic talent.

For his series A Myth of Two Souls, Vasantha Yogananthan drew inspiration from The Ramayana, one of the most important epic tales from ancient India. It tells the tale of the legendary prince Rama and his wife Sita. Inspired by the images associated with this foundational story and its impact on daily Indian life, Yogananthan retraces Rama's mythical journey across India, creating a modern retelling of the story.

A Myth of Two Souls consists of seven chapters and mixes daily life with staged photographs, using a variety of techniques: from colour and hand-painted photography to mixed media and video installation.

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Cover of Foam Magazine #48: Talent issue. © Foam. Cover image by Weronika Gęsicka
Liz Sales in Foam Magazine #48: Talent

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Vasantha Yogananthan