Margarita belongs to a family of diplomats for over 50 years and has extensively traveled the world.
She says “I find myself for the first time so strongly attracted to one country and its people, besides my own. I traveled to India for the first time in 2013 and subsequently returned every year since, asking for more! People oft en ask me, “Why India?” There is no easy answer to this question. The most obvious response is the intensity of colors and the street life, not to mention the kindness of the people. As a street photographer all these elements are quite crucial and sought after. But there are so many layers to India that every visit feels simply scratching the surface. The centuries of history, the spiritual diversity and the cultural riches all come together and blend to create a present that is a feast to the senses and releases renewed energy and strange pollens in me.
For this exhibition, I have focused on Varanasi, the city that I love most. I dare say that I almost feel at home there as every year I start off with a ten-day visit in a city where I have developed personal relationships with families that always welcome me with open arms. From the early morning day break at the Ganges to the evening Aarti, my days are filled with forever memorable scenes that I try to capture with my lens.”