Nilangana Banerjee | The ‘Selves’ & The Lullaby

Nilangana Banerjee | 2 Series
The ‘Selves’ & The Lullaby

About: The ‘Selves’

The series Selves aims to artistically represent the psychological conflicts we face when we weigh ourselves based on socially determined of what is ideal and where we stand with the distorted and one-size that fits all defined. Ons of the ideal self.
It tries to capture the turmoil a person witnesses and sustains within oneself to decide who they want to be. It shows the dips and dilemmas of the self in determining the self. This, in turn, pinpoints the stereotypical realm of the society-bred thinking toward the ideal concepts, considering anything perfect is always ideal. This series tries to reflect upon the protagonist’s current state of self, which
the person is highly dissatisfied with. It encompasses the struggles faced by the protagonist in deciding what the ideal self would be, or rather should be.

The series tries to highlight the desperation within the protagonist to reach the ideal self and how this unsettling state of mind investigates a complete psychological breakdown, in turn causing the protagonist to lose both the current self and the ideal self. To signify the importance of the need to strike a balance, this series focuses primarily on the psychological craving of becoming a so-called ideal individual and the ber dissatisfaction with the existing self. However, it also focuses on the perilous side of the “perfect,” or the “potential,” and tries to run on the lines of the following quote:
“If you look for perfection, you will never be content.”
– Leo Tolstoy (Anna Karenina).

Through the Conceptual narrative of Photography in this series, I humbly attempted to explore and give face in an abstract sense to showcase the inner human psyche and the mental conflicts people combat in their own unique way.

The idea and inspiration for this series stem from my interest in creating Art that tries to photographically image the invisible yet inevitable psychological states of condition we are designed to experience.

About: The Lullaby

Have you recited “Rock a bye Baby…..” to your child to get them to bed? Have you been repeating “Jack and Jill…” when you were a child?

What did you think of these nursery rhymes? The Lullaby series will make you question these popular mediums of children’s entertainment.

The Lullaby series attempt to unveil the implicit heinousness that forms the basis of the plots underlying some of the most influential Classic Nursery Rhymes that have ever existed.
Like most children, I was also exposed to classical children’s literature and rhymes and was unaware of the subliminal meanings of its disguised violent interpretation. However, in-depth research on these poems’ main subject unearthed that the premise of each of these poems was built on plots that reflected the irrational and barbaric happenings of the early 17th – 19th century.

Although presented rhythmically and comically, the content of these poems has numerous negative messages embedded, which could have impacted the reader subliminally. Furthermore, these Nursery rhymes have been negatively affecting society for generations as it has always been an integral part of every child’s prior learning.
Through this series, I aim to express and implement the subliminal, implicit cruelty and resurface the violence breathing in these neoclassical versions of literature fed to the children.

Nilangana Banerjee

Nilangana Banerjee, prominently known as Olive in the entertainment industry, is an influential photographer based in Los Angeles, California. Born and brought up in Mumbai (India), Olive grew up surrounded by photographs (stills and videos) and photographic equipment from a young age. This exposure both planted and catalysed her passion for the science and Art of Photography.
To enter the field of Photography professionally, Olive pursued a Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in Still Photography and Audio-Visual Production, in Mumbai, India.

During her bachelor’s degree, she completed her first Master’s degree at Light and Life Academy under the mentorship of world-renowned photographer Mohammad Iqbal in India, and has realised the specific areas of her interest within the field of Photography. As a result, Olive undertook a specialisation in Industrial, Architectural and Interior, Portraiture, and Conceptual Fashion/Editorial Photography.
Following the completion of her Master’s in India, Olive worked on putative projects with the Taj Group of Hotels (Taj Vivanta – both for their hotel properties in India and Malaysia), Rambagh Palace, Taj Group of Hotels, Four-point Sheraton Group of Hotels, Good Homes, India (an Interior and architectural magazine) and many more.

Although she gained substantial exposure in the Indian photography industry as a professional, Olive still felt a yearning to refine her photography skills and a desire to expand her horizons and her Art globally.
To this end, she was admitted to the New York Film Academy’s cutting-edge Master of Fine Arts in Photography program, having won the prestigious Talent Awards Scholarship, awarded to less than one per cent of international artists. She graduated summa cum laude from the New York Film Academy.
Her accomplishments following her graduation in Photography have made her a notable alumnus and an ambassador for the field at the New York Film Academy.

During her time at the New York Film Academy, Olive was mentored by Aaron Rapoport and Lara Rossignol, two of the most renowned and influential names in the American entertainment industry, and specifically in the commercial and fine art photography industries.
Her expanding body of commercial work has garnered immense praise and recognition from renowned photographic institutions, companies, and publications. Among some of her most prominent accomplishments, she was featured in the cover story for her fashion editorial magazines, the MOEVIR Paris, VANITY WALL Magazine New York, ROIDX Paris (Nov 2020), 17:23 Magazine New York, HORIZONT Magazine New York (Oct 2020), GMARO (June 2020), FADDY ITALY Magazine (Aug 2020), MOB JOURNAL (Sep 2020), to name a few.

Olive was also interviewed and featured by the MEDIUM, TINSELTOWN NEWS NOW, SHOUTOUT LA, and under LA’s most inspiring stories, published by the editorial VoyageLA (Dec 2018).
In 2017, she was interviewed and featured by the Indo-American Newspaper, the India Journal (USA), for being an Indian-LA-based photographer and an artist in the Industry. In 2016, she was featured in VICE Magazine for her project about the LA-based Middle Eastern Fusion food event, BIRDS. Later, she also published a book, ‘Paleosecret,’ as the principal photographer and Art Director for LEXICON Media in 2017.

Her photographs were also part of the most renowned global photographic exhibitions and galleries in and around Los Angeles and Portland, including New York and Brooklyn at Photoville 2017.
She had also got the experience of working in the Editorial Fashion and Beauty industry in LA by commercially working for numerous highly recognized commercial brands, such as Amazon, Forever21, Nordstrom, GLAM LA, Rilakumma Beauty, Walmart, Target, Urban Outfitters, Jill Roberts, Honorine, Beauty Influence, Hanhoo, Masqueology, Ross, Olivia Care, Dr. Skin Feed, etc. Currently, she is the In-house Lead Photographer, Art Director, and Head of Creative Production at Beauty Brands Influence in LA.

In concert with her professional expertise, she has also nurtured cultural pursuits in music: vocal, instrumental, and painting. In the backdrop of California, she has ample opportunities to fulfil and sustain her hobbies and passion for Photography and attain her never-ending satiation of cultural expanse.

See the full article in Lens Magazine Edition #133