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     Volume 4 Issue 39 | March 25, 2005 |


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Exhibition

WITH THE EYES OF AN ARCHITECT

Photography is my one recreation and I think it should be done well--Lewis Carroll

Elita Karim

One can call it a comeback after eight long years, but the Architecture Department Photographic Society (ADPS) is still at its best and has come up with an innovative photographic expose.

The ADPS came up with a weeklong photography exhibition at their department in BUET earlier this month, where the students of the Architecture Department exhibited their innovative ideas and images through their photographs. Under the guidance of Dr. Nizamuddin Ahmed, the ADPS had seminars and workshops on photography by Dr. Rashid-un-Nabi and Imtiaz Alam Beg. "I was never really involved with this organisation, until now," remarked Dr. Ahmed. "However, this time we all felt that it was time to come out with some sort of an activity, so that our students could reflect their ideas in the images.”

Organised within a very short time, the students and members of this organisation built structures on the department premises to display the pictures, and utilised the space for the exhibition in an innovative method. "This was actually an extension of a course on photography, images and compositions which is taught to the second year architecture students," added Dr. Ahmed. "This helped the students bring out their ideas and experiment practically. It also gave them a chance to have their talent take a front seat, in this situation," he adds.

A series of photographs displaying fishermen cottages, rows of boats sliding towards the river shore, landscapes, glass windows peering out from tree leaves, general people, transport vehicles, the disabled and many more subjects brought out the hidden creativity of the students.

"We had always heard of the activities that our seniors used to do in ADPS," says the current president of the organisation, Shahidullah Faruk. "I guess a gap was created due to the lack of communication within the organisation."

"We actually worked nights together to bring about this event," said Sheikh Rajibul Islam, a passionate photographer and the Vice President of the organisation. "It was like, reintroducing the whole organisation once again, since we were working towards a big event after eight long years."

The exhibition was inaugurated by the Vice Chancellor of BUET, Ali Murtuza, himself. Three prizes were given out to outstanding photographs. Bonne won the first prize for Opposite directions, Rajib clinched the second prize for Untitled 2 and the third prize went to Tareque for Ucchash.

According to Faruk and Rajib, not all students who get a degree in architecture actually pursue a career in the same line. "Many of them turn out to be filmmakers, artistes and photographers instead," they elaborate. "Architecture is such a creative subject, that many elements come together to make it complete."

They claim that architects have a different way of viewing and capturing with their lens. "I guess we tend to notice the compositions of the structure or the object that we are capturing with the lens," they add. "This works subconsciously within every architect," he smiles.

ADPS plans to work on particular aspects and photograph them. "We would like to organise sessions and exhibitions on parts of Old Dhaka, how an architect would look at it and why we like to view them as such," they say. "We also plan to emphasise on our heritage and village life, and look at the natural and the original compositions that we can experiment with."

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