Saṃrachanā

PHOTOGRAPHY

Sep 24

Saṃrachanā is a photographic meditation by New York-based artist Haren Mehta, exploring Rajasthan’s cultural architecture through the luminous setting of Jaisalmer. Blending symbolism, tradition, and innovation, the series reflects on how form becomes language, honoring Rajasthan not just as a destination but as a living composition of identity and craft.

Photography Haren Mehta

Saṃrachanā / संरचना — derived from Sanskrit, meaning “structure” or “composition”, elegantly encapsulates the essence of Haren Mehta’s work. This project is a visual exploration of Rajasthan’s cultural architecture, both literal and symbolic, set against the golden backdrop of Jaisalmer.

Rajasthan has long been celebrated as a land where color is not an embellishment but a language. It speaks through textiles and frescoes, in turbans and veils, and even in the shifting sands of the Thar desert. In Jaisalmer, this vocabulary is carved into stone: ornate havelis, sun-drenched forts, patterned courtyards, and narrow alleyways that hold centuries of craftsmanship and memory.

Through Saṃrachanā, Mehta reflects on the interplay of tradition and innovation, stillness and movement, identity and form. Each frame seeks not merely to document but to honor Rajasthan as a living composition — one where every element, from a grand façade to a fleeting shadow, contributes to a larger cultural framework.

The work resonates deeply with Mehta’s own artistic journey. Originally from India, he moved to San Francisco to study photography at the Academy of Art University, where he honed his technical craft through collaborations with leading technology and gaming companies such as Ubisoft and Microsoft. Later, drawn to the world of fashion, he relocated to New York City, assisting established photographers and refining his visual language.

Today, Mehta’s practice exists at the intersection of technology, fashion, and fine art. Saṃrachanā is both a return and a tribute, an exploration shaped by his multicultural path across Mumbai, San Francisco, and New York, and a reverent dialogue with the enduring architecture of his homeland.

“Color in Rajasthan is not an accessory; it’s a grammar. You can read it in turbans, frescoes, fabrics, and even in the sand.”

Saṃrachanā is published by Photographic Bandwidth as a limited-edition photobook (11×14 in, 60 pages). Copies are available exclusively through the publisher’s online store at photographicbandwidth.com. The edition will not be reprinted, making each book a collectible piece of Haren Mehta’s work.

About Haren

Haren Mehta is a New York-based artist whose work moves fluidly between technology, fashion, and fine art. Originally from India, he moved to San Francisco to study photography at the Academy of Art University. During his college years, Haren photographed for leading technology and gaming companies including Ubisoft and Microsoft, experiences that sharpened his technical discipline and deepened his visual approach. After graduation, his fascination with the language of fashion imagery drew him to New York City, where he assisted numerous established photographers, refining his craft and expanding his artistic voice. Today, Haren’s work reflects a dialogue between structure and emotion, shaped by his multicultural journey across Mumbai, San Francisco, and New York.

To see more of his work, visit his website or follow him on Instagram

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Saṃrachanā is a photographic meditation by New York-based artist Haren Mehta, exploring Rajasthan’s cultural architecture through the luminous setting of Jaisalmer. Blending symbolism, tradition, and innovation, the series reflects on how form becomes language, honoring Rajasthan not just as a destination but as a living composition of identity and craft.

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Saṃrachanā

“Color in Rajasthan is not an accessory; it’s a grammar. You can read it in turbans, frescoes, fabrics, and even in the sand.”

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