The Rebel with a Smile: A retrospective of Sayeeda Khanum
In August 2020, Sayeeda Khanum, the first professional female photographer of Bangladesh, breathed her last at the age of 83. To commemorate her legacy and her journey, Chobi Mela 2021 arranged a solo exhibition of her work.
The exhibition, "The Rebel with a Smile", is a retrospective of Sayeeda Khanum, featuring photographs, collectives, letters, and memoirs from the legend's illustrious life. It is curated by Sarker Protick, Tanzim Wahab, and ASM Rezaur Rahman.
A short documentary with an interview of the photographer is screening at the exhibition, in which she shares bits and pieces of her life with photographer Jannatul Mawa. The collecting, researching and preserving of these invaluable works of arts were done by several people and photographer Jannatul Mawa played the role of the lead researcher for this exhibition.
She had the rare opportunity of taking pictures of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Kazi Nazrul Islam, Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin, Sufia Kamal, Queen Elizabeth II, Mother Teresa, Neil Armstrong, Edwin Aldrin, Michael Collins and Satyajit Ray, among many other famous personalities. Several of these portraits made their way into this year's Chobi Mela.
Sayeeda Khanum began her career as a photojournalist in 1956, with the periodical "Begum", being a member of the prestigious magazine for over fifty years. She also worked for the cine magazine, "Chitrali".
Sayeeda Khanum's first international exhibition was held in 1956, after participating in the International Photo and Cinema Exhibition, "Cologne". In the same year, her works were displayed in "International Photography" exhibition held in Dhaka and later, exhibited in competitions in Japan, France, Sweden, Pakistan and Cyprus.
Her transition from a young girl fascinated by photography to a trailblazing photographer, was not easy. At a time when women were not allowed to go out, Sayeeda Khanum's courage and determination to pursue photography as a career were truly commendable. In a society where women are expected to follow certain roles and expectations, she dedicated her life to capturing moments and pieces of history.
A rebel by nature and an adventurer in spirit, Sayeeda Khanum believed photography to be an art form. Her work has the power to breathe life into a still image. She believed photography to be about that one perfect shot at that one precise moment, and she successfully captured thousands of precious moments, throughout her life.
The brilliance of Sayeeda Khanum not only lies in the photos she took, but also in the capturing of the exact expressions and emotions of her subjects. Her photographs captivate spectators and take them through a journey in time, back to that precise moment.
The masterful portrayal of each of her subject's detailed expressions make her photographs full of life and works of art. The photographs she took during the Liberation War of Bangladesh remain invaluable pieces of history, as she captured the determination of the freedom fighters and the horrors of the war. Her pictures on the combat training of female freedom fighters during the Liberation War had found their rightful place in history.
Always with a smile on her face, Sayeeda Khanum easily mesmerised everyone she came across. Her charming and evergreen personality speaks volumes of her outstanding spirit and kind heart.
A Master's graduate of Bangla Literature and Library Science from University of Dhaka, Sayeeda Khanum, was also a powerful storyteller and an excellent writer, with several books to her credit.
In 1960, she received an award in the All Pakistan Photo Contest and in 1985, she was honoured with UNESCO Award for photography. She received several awards and accolades from national and international organisations afterwards.
Sayeeda Khanum gracefully conquered many obstacles and faced criticism throughout her career, but she never backed down from her true calling, photography.
An introverted person, Sayeeda Khanum had hundreds of unpublished and unseen photographs, yet to be discovered by spectators. The curators of the exhibition believe that further collection and preservation of her work will be a way of paying respect to her.