Dhaka has evolved into one of the photography capitals of the world, says Dr. Shahidul Alam
How does 'Chobi Mela' rate, compared to other international photography festivals? Festival director and acclaimed photographer, Dr. Shahidul Alam's response: "Chobi Mela has become one of the most important festivals of photography in the world. Historically, photography has been Euro-centric. So the festival culture developed in the west. 'Chobi Mela' is the first major photography festival in Asia and that's a significant achievement for us."
"International interest in Chobi Mela V has been overwhelming. Photographers and agencies from over 33 countries are participating. We couldn't accommodate Magnum Photos and Getty Images -- two of the major photo agencies in the world -- as they missed the deadline. That should give you an idea about the reputation this festival has earned," he adds.
The success of Chobi Mela is part of a bigger picture. Despite no assistance from the government and no department to study the medium at the public universities, Bangladeshi photographers over the last decade have managed to pull off a silent revolution. In the process, Dhaka has become one of the "photography capitals of the world," according to Dr. Alam.
"None of the other mediums, including cinema, art or music, can claim the magnitude of success at international level (going by the number of awards, of course) that Bangladeshi photography has earned in the last few years," argues Dr. Alam.
"There's a shocking indifference towards photography at the authoritative level in Bangladesh," he says. "Compared to others, photography is a more recent medium. Most of the decision-makers in our country are 'men of words' and perhaps they don't comprehend the power of photography. The fact that photography has moved from being just a tool used in documenting incidents to a full-fledged art form hasn't dawned on many.
"A child grows up watching images, yet there is no provision in our schools and colleges to understand the science of photography. A whole nation is left visually illiterate. It's embarrassing for us that BFA/MFA students in our public universities graduate without the slightest knowledge of photography.
"Pathshala, South Asian Institute of Photography (the educational wing of Drik) is the only institution in our country that offers basic, diploma and degree courses and is at par with the best of the world."
Going back to the subject of the festival, Dr. Alam says, "At the last Chobi Mela an open forum was held to discuss the possible theme of this year's festival. An online poll was also held. Thus the theme 'freedom' was selected. Chobi Mela is not just another assortment of exhibitions. It includes lively debates, critique and discussions. There'll be mobile exhibitions for people who are not traditionally gallery-goers. In total, there'll be 63 print exhibitions at 11 venues in Dhaka.”
Talking about up and coming Bangladeshi photographers, Dr. Alam says, "Western photographers are mostly driven by their editorial needs. For the most part, developing countries to them are poverty, diseases and natural disasters. Our photographers, like their comrades in other third world countries, tend to be more comprehensive. They are driven by motivation and they possess certain values that have become sort of passé in the western world.
"Of the eight Bangladeshi photographers participating at Chobi Mela V, six are under 30. This is certainly a promising sign."
Chobi Mela V opens at 4 pm today at Bangladesh National Museum. Writer, activist and Magsaysay Award winner Mahasweta Devi will inaugurate an exhibition, titled "A Long Walk to Freedom", that recreates the life and history of Nelson Mandela at the museum.
Festival partners are Drik, Canon, Pathshala-South Asian Institute of Photography, Royal Norwegian Embassy, Goethe Institut, British Council, Alliance Francaise de Dacca and Prince Claus Fund. The Daily Star, Prothom Alo, Channel i, BDNews24.com and Ujala TV are media partners.
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