Street depicts modern India

A coffin floats in the middle of a chaotic crowd. As the people strain to get closer, their contorted bodies radiate a palpable tension.

Captured by artist Ram Rahman, this scene is one of many portrayals of Indian life in his new exhibit Street Smart. The funeral depicted is that of his friend and fellow artist Safdar Hashmi, whose politically motivated 1989 murder sparked immense public outrage. This anger ultimately inspired the formation of the artists' collective SAHMAT, of which Rahman is a founding member.

"We've become a kind of platform for the intellectual and creative community to interact with legislative institutions," he said. "We act really as a voice of conscience."

The group's commitment to upholding freedom of artistic expression in the midst of an increasingly violent political context is visible in many of Rahman's works, particularly the striking portraits of artists, actors and politicians.

Infusing Rahman's art with a tongue-in-cheek vitality is his ability to locate the bizarre in everyday situations, most often visible in surprising inconsistencies between the subjects and their surroundings.

In one photograph, a political leader speaks intently into a telephone, the gravity of the conversation offset by a seemingly misplaced toy dinosaur. Another image features workers taking a lunch break underneath a movie poster of dogs feeding infants, milk bottles dangling from their jaws.

"I do have elements in my pictures that catch the oddities and humor in everyday Indian life," Rahman said. "You'll find them in unexpected places sometimes."

Even though many of the photographs' nuances are culture-specific, a deep understanding of the subject matter is not necessary to appreciate the strong aesthetic quality. From a pensive study of a traditional wrestling match to a richly colored depiction of young elites lounging at a lavish wedding, Rahman provides viewers with a suggestive glimpse into his perception of vibrant New Delhi life.