Varun is a Boston-based documentary photographer whose work explores how humor, culture, and everyday life foster social trust and belonging in a fragmented society. Currently a graduate student at Harvard University studying Social Capital, and leading the civic engagement platform Beacons, Varun integrates field research, photography, and civic innovation to study connection and community.
His upcoming project investigates comedy as a living civic ritual — a space where strangers come together to laugh, grieve, and feel seen. Combining tours with prominent comedians, local comedy communities, ethnographic fieldwork, and collaborations with academic institutions, he aims to produce a research-driven book and visual archive that reveals comedy’s role in public life.
Alongside this, Varun creates large-scale visual essays by turning his 35mm film photography strips into mosaics of public landmarks. This process aims to transform individual, fragmented moments of everyday life into cohesive narratives that highlight love, belonging, and civic identity. Through these mosaics, Varun hopes to elevate the often overlooked rituals and interactions that form the social fabric of cities and turn "negatives into positives."
At its core, Varun's work seeks to help people feel seen, connected, and whole. For commissions, partnerships, or inquiries, please contact Varun via email or Instagram.
