Keerthana Kunnath, Not What You Saw
05.06.2026 – 15.07.2026
Curated by Sahil Arora, Method India
This ongoing project documents South Indian female bodybuilders who challenge gender roles and beauty standards by embracing strength, a quality long associated with masculinity. Navigating societal expectations, physical demands, and cultural norms, they redefine femininity on their own terms. Set against familiar Indian landscapes, the portraits invite us to reconsider how womanhood, strength, and beauty coexist in contemporary India.
Keerthana Kunnath is a London-based Indian artist whose work initiates conversations around socio-cultural issues. Through her practice, she explores themes including sexuality, queerness, womanhood, and mental health, subjects that often remain underrepresented in public discourse in South India.
The exhibition is part of Triennial Expanded within the 9th Triennial of Photography Hamburg 2026.
Supported by Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan New Delhi.
Foto Credits: Henning Rogge
Keerthana Kunnath, Shijina, 2026 | Digital Print on Archival Paper | Edition of 3 + 1 AP | 108 x 135 cmKeerthana Kunnath, Sandra, Kavitha, Aishu & Bhumika, 2026 | Digital Print on Archival Paper | Edition of 15 + 5 AP, each | 51 x 63 cm eachKeerthana Kunnath, Chitra & Chitra (Contact), 2026 | Digital Print on Archival Paper | Edition of 10 + 3 AP | 90 x 72 cmKeerthana Kunnath, Untitled Group 1,2 & 3, 2026 | Digital Print on Archival Paper | Edition of 10 + 3 AP each | 61 x 91,5 cm eachKeerthana Kunnath, Untitled, 2026 | Digital Print on Archival Paper | Edition of 5 + 1 AP | 83.8 x129 cm