Public talk at National Geographic

Subscribe to ShahidulNews


Share



When the lions find their storytellers: A public talk by Dr Shahidul Alam
October 4th, 6 p.m.
National Geographic Store
83-97 Regent Street
London
Internationally renowned Bangladeshi photographer, writer, curator and teacher Dr Shahidul Alam, will lead a free public talk at the National Geographic Store next week.
During the 40 minute talk Dr Alam, a National Geographic juror and photographer, will discuss his 30 year career in documentary photography, as well as his role as one of the most respected photography educators in the world.
Dr Alam?s work in establishing networks for photography and media professionals in his native Bangladesh has opened up the medium to an entirely new generation of artists. As a result, Bangladesh now has the highest number of documentary photographers in the world, some of whom, thanks to his efforts, are becoming internationally acclaimed. Alam founded the award-winning Drik Picture Library (www.drik.net) in 1989; the Bangladesh Photographic Institute in 1990; Pathshala, the South Asian Institute of Photography – considered one of the finest schools of photography in the world – (www.pathshala.net) and ?Chobi Mela? (www.chobimela.org), a biennial international festival of photography, which is held in the capital, Dhaka. Alam’s most recent project is the founding of Majority World, a photo agency dedicated to providing a platform for non-Western photographers.
A jury member of numerous competitions including World Press Photo, for which he has been a judge on four occasions and recently the first non-Western person to chair the international jury, Alam was also the first Asian recipient of the prestigious Mother Jones Award for Documentary Photography. His work has been exhibited internationally, including: the MOMA, New York; the Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris; the Royal Albert Hall, London; and The Museum of Contemporary Arts, Tehran.
Dr Alam’s week-long visit to the UK is a result of his first retrospective photography exhibition at the Wilmotte Gallery at Lichfield Studios (http://www.tristanhoare.co.uk/) from 5th October -18 November, and the release of his forthcoming book, SHAHIDUL ALAM: My Journey as a Witness, published by Skira, Milan, and edited by Rosa Maria Falvo. The book will be launched at the Grand Hyatt Churchill Hotel in London at 5.30 pm.

Author: Shahidul Alam

Time Magazine Person of the Year 2018. A photographer, writer, curator and activist, Shahidul Alam obtained a PhD in chemistry before switching to photography. His seminal work “The Struggle for Democracy” contributed to the removal of General Ershad. Former president of the Bangladesh Photographic Society, Alam set up the Drik agency, Chobi Mela festival and Pathshala, South Asian Media Institute, considered one of the finest schools of photography in the world. Shown in MOMA New York, Centre Georges Pompidou, Royal Albert Hall and Tate Modern, Alam has been guest curator of Whitechapel Gallery, Winterthur Gallery and Musee de Quai Branly. His awards include Mother Jones, Shilpakala Award and Lifetime Achievement Award at the Dali International Festival of Photography. Speaker at Harvard, Stanford, UCLA, Oxford and Cambridge universities, TEDx, POPTech and National Geographic, Alam chaired the international jury of the prestigious World Press Photo contest. Honorary Fellow of Royal Photographic Society, Alam is visiting professor of Sunderland University in UK and advisory board member of National Geographic Society. John Morris, the former picture editor of Life Magazine describes his book “My journey as a witness”, (listed in “Best Photo Books of 2011” by American Photo), as “The most important book ever written by a photographer.”

12 thoughts on “Public talk at National Geographic”

  3. Pingback: >Re: PHOTO » Blog Archive » Shahidul Alam in London

  4. Alam is a hero to us providing disadvantaged young people with a chance to express themselves and ultimately achieve a quality of life which would otherwise be impossible. Although he never basked in his own glory, he in his own rights is a fabulous photographer, and I wish his book and exhibition a great success!

  5. Shahidul
    All the best for your lecture and all other activity in the UK. Deeply admire your efforts to raise awareness for a whole host of concerns. How can we forget your sensitive and strong projection of the Kashmir earthquake?!
    Wish I was there.
    Best
    Nighat
    Karachi.

  6. Pingback: Things To Do In London On The Cheap: 3-9 October | Londonist

  7. Words cannot convey my pride for my brother. My brother Khaled who died would say about Shahidul “wait until he grows up to see what he will do in life”!. Shahidul was only six years old then. My parents would be so proud of him. He is a pride to our nation. I wish him every success.

  8. Today Shahidul is a recognized figure in international arena in photography. I can hardly express my feelings what Shahidul has given to the people of Bangladesh on documentary photography and the role he played in creating new generation of photographers.
    I am proud of him and I wish him all the best.

  9. I can only reiterate what I have said many a times about my dear friend Shahidul, both to him and to others. Shahidul makes Bangladesh proud, he makes his family and friends proud. He offers something to the world through all that he captures through his camera lenses which makes a difference. Projecting a perfect balance of his intellectually sensitivity to social and political injustice and caring creativity to the beauty of our country and its people, he remains exemplary to those who may wish to pursue similar goals through the Arts – whatever art form that may be.

  12. Pingback: London Launch | ShahidulNews

Leave a Reply