Set within the exhibition TYEB MEHTA Bearing Weight (with the lightness of being), this photo walk and workshop invites Deaf participants to explore how gesture, expression, and visual language can be interpreted through photography, artificial intelligence, and image-based storytelling.

Conceptualised and facilitated by Srivatsan Sankaran, the session encourages participants to engage with the artworks and gallery environment through photographic observation. As they move through the exhibition, participants reflect on how movement, body language, and silent expression can be translated into visual narratives, drawing parallels with sign language and Deaf visual culture.

The workshop also introduces ways in which photography and AI can interact with visual languages, opening possibilities for documenting gestures, expressions, and moments of connection. Through guided exploration and collaborative making, participants experiment with storytelling through images inspired by both the artworks and their own lived experiences.

About the Artist:
Srivatsan Sankaran is a travel photographer and educator whose practice focuses on empowering the Deaf community through visual storytelling. Having travelled to over 200 destinations and documented more than 50 festivals, he uses photography as a means of connection and expression. Founder of the Madras Photo Bloggers Foundation, he has trained over 100 Deaf students in photography. His work has been recognised internationally, including being featured as a Change Maker at the WHO on World Hearing Day 2023.

While you’re here, explore KNMA’s ongoing exhibition
TYEB MEHTA Bearing Weight (with the lightness of being)