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Shahidul Alam: My Journey as a Witness
Edited by Rosa Maria Falvo
- September 23, 2011
- Hardcover
- Photography – Individual Photographer
- Skira
- 9-1/2 x 11
- $50.00
- $57.00
- 978-88-572-0966-1
About This Book
An insight into the evolution of one of the most significant movements in contemporary photography, through the eyes and voice of the man who shaped it. An extraordinary artist, Shahidul Alam is a photographer, writer, activist, and social entrepreneur who used his art to chronicle the social and artistic struggles in a country known largely for poverty and disasters.
Lucid and personal, this much-awaited book includes over 100 photographs tracing Alam?s artistic career, activism, and the founding of photography organizations. From early images shot in England to photographs of the last two decades in his native Bangladesh, this is a journey from photojournalism into social justice. Alam?s superb imagery is matched by his perceptive accounts, at once deeply intimate and bitingly satirical.
About the Author
Shahidul Alam, profoundly influenced by inequality in his native Bangladesh and The Liberation War, pursued a life in photography to challenge oppression and imperialism in all its forms. Attacked, arrested, and threatened with death, Alam built what many consider to be the finest photography school in the world, an award-winning agency, and the world?s most diverse photography festival. Widely celebrated, Alam claims as his achievements not the awards and exhibitions but the people he has trained and the lives he has transformed.?Rosa Maria Falvo is a writer and curator, and Skira?s international commissions editor, specializing in Asian contemporary art.
Introductions by:
Sebasti?o Salgado
Shahidul has managed to create a community, giving it a framework and creating links, as he has already done in Bangladesh. This is not merely another virtual community, like so many others, which have undoubtedly demonstrated their utility, but a truly concrete ensemble, which is a composite of all generations attached to their native soil, who share a much vaster territory than that of any one country. The territory I speak of is, of course, the photographic world of Shahidul Alam, which is also mine, as well as each and every one of ours. A world where we can daily sense our conscience and our faith in our planet.
and
Raghu Rai
In India we have many more photographers, some of them very good, and there are many galleries for art and especially photography. As well as reputed newspapers and magazines ? much is happening on many levels. But we don?t have a Shahidul Alam, who can combine them into a cohesive social and creative force.
The book was launched in Dhaka on the 23rd September 2011
The touring version on the exhibition will open at the Wilmotte Gallery (formerly Patrick Litchfield’s studio) in London on the 6th October 2011
The London launch (Grand Hyatt Churchill) will take place on the 10th October 2011
The New Delhi launch (Habitat Centre) will take place on the 15th October 2011
The New York launch (Rizolli Book Store) is on the 10th November 2011
A trailer for the book:
Dear Shahidul,
Congratulations with your book, a precious book about your journey as a witness.
I recognised the one air photgraph of Dhaka harbour, with small boats like banana leaves. It was also in the book about Microcredit, on whoch we worked together.
I like to keep walking beside you.
Let us both enjoy the sun.
Keep going,
Jos van Beurden
Congratulations Shahidul on this, certain to be esteemed publication of yours; an artist of pronounced distinction. Do hope that this would be launched in Sri Lanka too, probably under the auspice of the Barefoot Gallery.
Best wishes!
Dear Shahidul,
We are all proud of you and your accomplishments. I am sure that “my journey as a witness” will be great addition in the in the libraries around the world on arts, culture, journalism, media, photography and photojournalism.
Congratulations!
Dear Shahidul,
Congratulations to this step of so many in your life committed to the neglected and downtrodden women and men and children, particularly in South Asia. This is a powerful signal to all those, who want to lead without leadership qualities and I take pride in having been part of your journey for a while…
Shahidul is not only a great photograhper but a true humanitarian and visionary campaigner, this vivid expression of his talent and values is long overdue
Most interesting and touching. Keep up the good work!
Best regards
Veena
Dear Shahidul,
Congratulations with the book! I know you worked very hard all these years to make it and now it’s there. I will try to come to New York launch please send me an invitation
Congratulations. Very powerful. . The image of the boy watching TV from behind the doorway made my heart skip a beat. Cant wait to see it all.
While we take pictures for pictorial effect, you do so with a cause. The impact is powerful and plain to see. Thank you for showing us the way and congratulations.
My best wishes to you, please keep up the wonderfull work you are doing for the humanity and please persude Mr. Raghu Rai to orgaise the similar memorable work in India also.
Dear Shahidul Alam Bhai,
Congratulations on your excellent accomplishments in photojournalism.
Indeed it is so powerful Specially your interview which was excellent interview answers in context with reality of Bangladesh. I think we need more honest and courageous photojournalist like you in our country.
Thank you for focusing real facts, stories, dealing with Corruption in Bangladesh , Government Policies, Economical development , social issues of unfortunate people in Bangladesh who are till suffering . Govermental influence Introducing the situation of extra judicial killings in Bangladesh.
Thank you Sahidul Alam Bhai , for your total dedication and your courageous efforts in this , fight against injustice and lawlessness.
In Bangladesh Politics is now house filled with rich men, business men and lots of corrupt people. Even all the politicians are not corrupted but many influential persons in different backward regions influenced through muscle power.They are our corrupt politicians .dictators, and selfish politicians who ruin our country .
In Bangladesh most of the politicians managed to produce offspring and raise them to be future leaders of Bangladesh no mater they have quality knowledge and proper education to lead the country which is absolutely wrong.
It is time for change! So I must say our country Bangladesh needs talented young intelligent educated dynamic honest, sincere who has true feelings for the people of his won country.
This is the right time that we should speak about the need for clean hands in politics in which even the so called good politicians change over as dirty-minded.
Wishing you all the best on your journey.