Positive Light

Foreword to Positive Light by Shahidul Alam

Photography is many things. It?s a tool of fine art, an expression of scientific innovation and a vehicle of creativity. But ultimately, it is storytelling where photography harnesses its full potential. Because it is so powerful, it has also been used to stereotype people and meet certain agendas.
In our work at Drik, we are extremely sensitive to the way photography of Bangladesh has been used to propagate a western imperialist and colonial view of the world and more recently the developmental paradigm. But such perceptions actually represent a very narrow view of Bangladesh. The fact that it is a country rich in culture, art and heritage is something rarely heard of in the outside world. At Drik, we believe this perception stems from the monopoly on storytelling of the South that the West has had for so long. And it is local photographers who will challenge that most effectively. Continue reading “Positive Light”

Majority World on Corriere Immigrazione (Italian)

Majority world

Perch? ? importante che a raccontare i ?paesi impoveriti? siano i loro stessi figli.?Le foto (link)
Until the lions have their own storytellers, tales of the hunt shall always glorify the hunter, si legge in epigrafe a?My Journey as a Witness, il libro fotografico che raccoglie la storia artistica e fotogiornalistica di Shaihidul Alam. Fino a quando i leoni non avranno i loro cantastorie, i racconti di caccia celebreranno sempre il cacciatore. Shahidul Alam ? un artista eclettico del Bangladesh: ha sempre spaziato tra musica, scrittura e immagine tenendo l?impegno sociale come filo conduttore di tutto il suo lavoro. Ed ? stato lui, all?inizio degli anni ?90, a cominciare a usare l?espressione?Majority World?(la parte maggiore del mondo) in sostituzione alle ambigue e inaccurate?devoloping countries(paesi in via di sviluppo) o?third world?(terzo mondo).?Majority World?? anche il nome (link) di un?agenzia di fotogiornalismo (Alam ? tra i fondatori) che ha la sua sede centrale nel Regno Unito e che raccoglie i lavori di fotografi della maggior parte del mondo impegnati a raccontare i loro Paesi fuori dai clich? e dagli stereotipi troppo spesso presenti nella visione occidentale. Lo scorso luglio alla Guardian Gallery di Kings Place, a Londra, ? stata organizzata un?esposizione di alcuni tra gli scatti pi? belli di questi professionisti. Colin Hastings, cofondatore con Alam di?Majority World, sarebbe felice di fare viaggiare questa mostra per il mondo e di raccogliere le immagini in un catalogo. Riuscirci, come sempre, ? una questione di fondi e di sponsor. In attesa che qualcosa si muova, sperando in fondo di contribuire a questo movimento, abbiamo il privilegio e il piacere di proporvi alcune di queste immagini.
Stefania Ragusa

Images of Change

Shahidul Alam: Images of Change

By Peggy Roalf Monday July 9, 2012

Journalism in this age of conflict continues to be biased towards a western and white point of view when, in fact, most of the current conflicts and unrest occur in regions that are non-western and non-white. Even the terminology for these places has evolved along lines that have little to do with realities.
For example, Mao Zedong?s term ?the Third World,? coined when he proclaimed the Peoples? Republic of China in 1949, but later viewed by journalists and policy makers as somewhat restrictive, became ?Less Developed Countries,? or LDCs. It was subsequently modified to the more exclusive ?Less Economically Developed Countries,? or LEDCs, to signify the most impoverished. When it comes to the people who live in these countries, however, the terms are irrelevant except to organizations such as the United Nations and the World Bank, whose work requires monetizing the circumstances of poverty.
It seems that the imbalance, at least in terminology, has a chance to be reset with the emergence of the Majority World Photo Agency in London. It was founded in 2010 by the Bangladeshi photographer, journalist, and writer Shahidul Alam, who long ago began advocating for the term ?majority world? to replace LDC; in his words, “it defines the community in terms of what it is, rather than what it lacks.” Continue reading

The Majority World Photo Agency and The Guardian partner for Insider, Outsider? in London

Photo Show ? The Majority World Photo Agency and The Guardian partner for Insider, Outsider? in?London

INSIDER, OUTSIDER?
Insider, Outsider? Photography that challenges perceptions of the developing world?runs until 22 July at the Guardian Gallery in London. It isMajority World?s first UK exhibition featuring 17 emerging photographers from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.

Photos above ? Shadi Ghadirian and below ? Farzana Hossen
?Whilst ?insiders? locally, many photographers from the developing world are ?outsiders? on the global image market, remaining under represented as storytellers about their own countries.
?Local photographers have an insider perspective that is unique, reflecting on and revealing previously untold stories around them ? critical, thoughtful and intimate stories close to home. Their privileged access enables them to develop an intimate understanding of their subjects and theme.? Press release.
It?s also interesting to see that staged work by Shadi Ghadirian (image above with yellow rubber glove) is included in this show as her work will also be included in the upcoming show?Light From the Middle East?at the V&A, see previous?Hotshoe Blog post.?This raises the question of the types of work on show and I?m wondering whether Ghadirian?s work is the only work that is staged in this show, rather than coming from a documentary tradition.
Majority World Photo Agency?supports these photographers by making their work visible, and by enabling them to earn money by selling globally. In so doing, it also contributes to a greater diversity of voices and viewpoints describing the developing world. The chairman is photographer, writer and human rights activist?Shahidul Alam.
See over for a list of all the photographers included and a couple more images?

? Andr?s Lofiego, El Ojo a Cuerda

Featuring images taken by:
A. M. Ahad, Bangladesh
Aaron Sosa, Panama/Venezuela
Adolphus Opara, Nigeria
Andr?s Lofiego, Argentina
Andrew Esiebo, Nigeria
Daniel Pati?o Flor, Ecuador
Dominic Sansoni, Sri Lanka
Fabrice Monteiro, Benin
Farzana Hossen, Bangladesh
Kishor Sharma, Nepal
M?rio Macilau, Mozambique
M. Anisul Hoque, Bangladesh
Neo Ntsoma, South Africa
Samar Hazboun, Palestine
Shadi Ghadirian, Iran
Shankar Sarkar, India
Tammy David, Philippines

? Shahidul Alam,

Majority World Photo Agency is ?an innovative social enterprise that works with talented photographers from the developing world. We specialise in high quality imagery that provides unique insights into local cultures, development issues, environments and contemporary lifestyles in these diverse continents. We also work with clients to commission assignments with our experienced photographers who understand the language, the culture, and the locality because it is their own?. From the press release.

Insider, Outsider?

Photography that challenges perceptions of the developing world

‘Insider, Outsider?? is Majority World?s first UK exhibition?featuring 17 photographers from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East sharing critical, thoughtful and intimate stories close to home.The exhibition is open for 3 weeks from July 3-22. E invite to show (please RSVP).

What makes a photographer different??Camera manufactures would have us believe?it is their latest model, perhaps a fancy lens.?Others will cite prestigious awards, or?acceptance in galleries. A grandmother in a?village in Bangladesh, a teenage rapper in?South Africa or a tin miner in Bolivia will?differ. These accolades will have little?meaning to them. Surprisingly, not even the?photographer?s nationality, or the colour of?her skin, or the language she speaks will?greatly affect their judgment, though all of?these will matter. Continue reading “Insider, Outsider?”