At a time when conversations around representation in the arts are becoming increasingly important, the ZiiP Foundation (Zalor India International Photography Foundation) is bringing one of its most significant initiatives to India. Women in Photography (WiP, one of the foundation’s flagship initiatives, will make its India premiere at the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), Mumbai, from August 15 to August 25, presenting the work of 25 Indian women photographers whose diverse practices explore identity, memory, environment, culture, resistance, and belonging.
Curated by distinguished scholar, historian and Royal Photographic Society Award recipient Dr. Niyatee Shinde of the ZiiP Foundation, alongside Ami Bouhassane, Managing Director of Farleys House & Gallery in the United Kingdom, the exhibition is far more than a showcase of compelling imagery. It is a response to one of the most persistent imbalances within the photography industry, where women continue to account for only 20 percent of professional practitioners.
Originally launched at Farleys House & Gallery, the former home of renowned war and surrealist photographer Lee Miller, the initiative now arrives in India with an expanded vision to create meaningful conversations around gender equity while building sustainable opportunities for women working in lens-based arts.
Each body of work featured in the exhibition tells a deeply personal yet universally resonant story. Together, the photographs move across rural landscapes, urban realities and intimate domestic spaces, documenting experiences of labour, family, climate, tradition, identity, resilience, and social change. Rather than simply recording the world around them, these visual narratives question established perspectives, challenge conventions, and invite audiences to engage with contemporary India through distinctly female viewpoints.
The WiP initiative has been conceived as an inclusive platform where every participating artist receives equal visibility. Moving away from the conventional model of spotlighting a select few names, Women in Photography places collective representation at its core, creating space for emerging and established photographers alike to be seen within a shared institutional framework.
Beyond the exhibition itself, the initiative also seeks to strengthen connections between Indian photographers and the global photography ecosystem by facilitating engagement with international institutions, art professionals, cultural organisations, and corporate partners committed to advancing women’s leadership in the creative industries. Building upon its successful presentation in the United Kingdom, the India segment of this inaugural WiP edition
marks the beginning of a broader dialogue across South Asia and the Global South.
Speaking about the initiative, Dr. Niyatee Shinde, Founding Director of the ZiiP Foundation and Curator of Women in Photography, said, “Launched under the aegis of ZiiP, the Women in Photography initiative seeks to transcend the rhetoric of representation and bring about meaningful structural change. This inaugural edition’s exhibition showcases the compelling artistic practices of women photographers while cultivating a global ecosystem for visibility, professional opportunity, and sustained critical discourse. We hope it will inspire institutions, collectors, audiences, and future generations of photographers to embrace a more expansive, equitable vision for the medium.”
Venue Details
- Exhibition: Women in Photography (WIP)
- Presented by: ZiiP Foundation
- Curators: Dr. Niyatee Shinde and Ami Bouhassane
- Venue: National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), Sir Cowasji Jehangir Readymoney Hall, MG Road, Fort, Mumbai
- Dates: August 15 to August 25
- Timings: 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM (Tuesday to Sunday | Closed on Mondays)
About ZiiP Foundation
The ZiiP Foundation (Zalor India International Photography Foundation) is a non-profit organisation committed to advancing photography and lens-based media through exhibitions, research, education and collaborative initiatives. Led by Founding Director Dr. Niyatee Shinde, the foundation works to strengthen the ecosystem for photographers by creating platforms that encourage artistic excellence, cultural exchange, and meaningful public engagement while fostering global partnerships that support long-term social impact.
