"If you’re not making certain people uncomfortable by your presence, you must be doing something wrong. The struggle for change is a never-ending process that requires you to be constantly alert, and forever swimming against the current. It is a lonely, stressful, tiring and immensely gratifying journey.” Shahidul Alam
A retrospective of the ground-breaking photographer, writer, teacher and activist Shahidul Alam will take place at the Wilmotte Gallery, Lichfield Studios this autumn. The exhibition will introduce to London a dynamic figure, who has been largely responsible for the development of photography in the Indian Subcontinent. Alam’s eagerly awaited new book (Skira Press), My Journey as a Witness, will launch simultaneously. It includes more than 100 images that retrace the artistic and visual journey of one of the most significant figures in documentary photography.
The 40 images in the exhibition will mark the 40th anniversary of Bangladesh Independence. They range from portraits of local people and scenes of daily life, to breathtaking landscapes and the impact of disaster situations. All taken in his native Bangladesh, the photographs chronicle Alam’s journey to challenge oppression and to document the social, political and cultural realities of his country. Spanning three decades of his life, the images offer both interpretative and investigative angles into a culture and national reality that is often misunderstood in the West.
Shahidul Alam: My Journey as a Witness runs from 6 October - 18 November 2011 at Wilmotte Gallery, Lichfield Studios.
tristanhoare.com
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Images:
© Shahidul Alam
