Ajay Rajgarhia (b. 1967) has always looked at life with a different angle. He listens to music, preferring lyrics to rhythm. And watches movies with a keen curiosity for the story not told…, constantly searching for answers in endless books, lectures and spiritual study. There has to be more to this, is his common refrain.
One, which led him to study in the US, graduating in 1990.
Working in Investment Banking, then, quitting it all to start his own garment factory and working with names like Liz Claiborne, Buffalo, Talbots and Bono.
Big business. Big brands. Same question.
There has to be more to this…
A search that finally led him to seek behind the lens of a camera and explore the world with his inner eye.
Travelling with a restless energy on the streets, he is always looking for ‘that perfect moment’. Chasing after light and shadow, figure and form, man and nature… Ajay finds inspiration even in the mundane and forgotten!
He has recently started working with Video Art. A creative decision to add to photography; to add moving images with sound to complete a story that perhaps, may be left unfinished with a still picture.
He is also the promoter of Wonderwall, one of India's first galleries dedicated to fine art photography and has curated photography shows for galleries such as Mystic Strokes, Pune, Gallery Sanskriti, Kolkata, Mahua – The Art Gallery, Bangalore, Prakrit Art Gallery, Chennai and Mantra Art Gallery, Ahmedabad.
His works are a part of many private collections in India and abroad and his showings include:
2006/India Chic Gallery, New Delhi 'Flying Solo' (Solo)
2007/ Wonderwall, New Delhi 'Three Tier'
2007/Mystic Strokes, Pune 'Three Eyes'
2007/Arushi Art Gallery, New Delhi 'Harvest 2007'
2007/Sanskriti Art Gallery, Kolkata 'Fine Art Photography'
2007/ Wonderwall, New Delhi 'The Other Side'
2008/ Prakrit Art Gallery, Chennai 'Click Shoot'
2008/The Shrine Gallery, Delhi 'Art Beat'
2008/Arushi Art Gallery, Delhi 'Harvest 2008'
2008/Wonderwall, Delhi 'India Art Summit 2008'
2008/PhotoARTAsia Expo 2008, Bangkok.
2008/Seven Art Limited at Jam Jar, Dubai ‘Popular Reality’
2009/Apparao Infinity, Chennai ‘Go….take a walk’.
2009/Mahua – The Art Gallery, Bangalore ‘Behind the Lens’.
2009/Wonderwall, New Delhi ‘em.body’.
2009/The Hidden Gallery, New Delhi.
2009/Apparao Galleries & Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi, A moment in the Priceless Culinary Journey.
2009/Wonderwall, Delhi 'India Art Summit 2009'.
2009/Sanskriti Art Gallery, Kolkata 'Anniversary Show’.
2009/Ragini Art Gallery, Delhi ‘Juvenilia Juxtaposed’.
2009/Wonderwall, Mumbai ‘Art India Expo 2009’.
2009/Wonderwall, Delhi ‘Wide Angle’.
2009/ Galeria De Arte, Delhi ‘Living Art Expanse’.
2010/ Nvya Gallery, Delhi ‘Freedom’.
2010/ Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi ‘A Tribute to the Lens’.
2010/Wonderwall, Delhi ‘Wide Angle 2010’.
2011/Wonderwall, Delhi 'India Art Summit 2011'.
2011/Wonderwall, Delhi ‘Memories of Another Day’.
2011/Arushi Art Gallery, Delhi 'Harvest 2011'.
2011/ Scion Installations, Los Angeles ‘Other Anecdotes’.
2011/Mantra Art Gallery, Ahmedabad ‘Navrang’.
2011/Wonderwall, Delhi ‘Faith – the endless journey’.
2011/Pratham UK and Saffronart, London ‘ARTiculate.
2012/Wonderwall, Delhi 'India Art Fair 2012'.
2012/ Art Chennai, Chennai.
2012/Wonderwall, Delhi ‘Eastbound’.
2012/Wonderwall, Delhi ‘The Blue Room’.
2013/Wonderwall, Delhi 'India Art Fair 2013'.
2013/Indigo Blue Art, Singapore ‘A Tale of 3 Cities’. (Solo).
2013/ Wonderwall, Delhi ‘United Uttarakhand Unveiled’
2013/ Wonderwall, Delhi ‘i’ – An exhibition of self portraits.
2014/Wonderwall, Delhi 'India Art Fair 2014'.
2014/Wonderwall, Delhi ‘A Tale of 3 Cities’ – London, New York and Paris.
2015/Wonderwall, Delhi 'India Art Fair 2015'.
2015/Wonderwall, Delhi ‘Faith’.
2015/Wonderwall, Delhi ‘BIG’.
2015/Aakriti Art Gallery, Kolkata ‘Eastbound’ (Solo)
2016/Wonderwall, Delhi 'India Art Fair 2016'.
2017/Wonderwall, Delhi 'India Art Fair 2017'.
2017/Wonderwall, Delhi 'Love'.
2018/Wonderwall, Delhi 'India Art Fair 2018'.
2018/Wonderwall, Delhi 'Hindustan Times Imagine'.