Dougie Wallace: Road Wallah
Trongate 103, 04 November - 22 December
Reception: Thursday 03 November, 6.30pm
Dougie spent 4 years photographing the now defunct black and yellow Premier Padmini cabs of Bombay famous for their garish, psychedelic interiors and the elusive charisma of the drivers. The cabs have been described as ‘Bollywood disco bars on wheels’ adorned with Hindu gods and goddesses, especially Ganesh, who, with his long trunk and multiple arms, removes all obstacles and evils. Between the golden hours of 4-6pm Wallace could been seen on the streets of Bombay loitering with intent at busy junctions or at traffic lights ready to ambush, armed with 3 flashguns and Glaswegian license to pounce.
Over the course of 17 visits to Bombay, Dougie has produced a stunning series of the city’s iconic taxis and the unique part they play in Indian culture, now consigned to history after the cars were phased out in 2015 following legislation to reduce air pollution in the city. The photographs demonstrate Wallace’s tremendous technical ability which when mixed with his eye for colour, composition and humour, produces photographs with such depth and beauty they leave him in a class of his own.
Dougie is fully represented worldwide by INSTITUTE Artist & Management Company. Road Wallah was short-listed for the 2015 European Book Publisher’s Award.
Further Information:
'Living in Shoreditch has helped me develop an eye for the tragi-comic, messy side of uninhibited human behaviour. My Glasgow upbringing has shaped my style, which has been described as 'visually exaggerated' and 'hard edged'.
What motivates my pictures is human behaviour. People’s interactions and emotions fascinate me. My stories are thematic; they have similarities of expressions running through them. My work is informed by societies trends and incongruities and translating what I see into wit, criticism and humorous vignettes. I’d like to think that my photos convey a personalised point of view that is believable and absurd.”
Dougie Wallace’s has had a number of solo shows worldwide as well as taken part in joint exhibits and photographic festivals around the globe. His work has been featured in assignments and publications for magazines and newspapers, including, The Sunday Times Magazine, D Repubblica, Le Monde, NYTimes, Stern, The Guardian, The Independent, Observer, International New York Times, GQ, Dazed, Vice, BBC, CNN, Itsnicethat, Die Zeit, Sueddeutsche Zeitung, El País, Der Spiegel, Macleans, NZZ, Die Tageszeitung, Neon, dS Magazine - De Standaard. As well as numerous photography magazines, BJP, GUP, Amateur Photographer, Professional Photographer, F2, Fotografia Magazine, Lens Culture, Leica LFI, L’Oeill, Fotomagazine, European Photography and Photo International.
BBC 4 has commissioned a 30 min documentary, 'What Artists Do All Day' on Dougie. (Intimate, observational portraits of leading artists, revealing unique insights into their working lives and creative process). This will be aired early 2017, on the BBC4 'Season of Photography'.
Dougie Wallace has conducted workshops both in the UK and overseas. He regularly donates his work to his chosen charities each year.
Dougie is supported by Leica. Exhibition Printing sponsored by theprintspace, London.
Talk & Book Signing : Saturday 5th November, 2pm
Images: © Dougie Wallace
