Photography Exhibition by Philip Gain and Display of Adivasi Artifacts

OPEN TO ALL

Inauguration: 18 March 4 pm. at Drik Gallery (Guests and speakers at the inauguration are: Mr. Dwijen Sarma, an eminent environmentalist, Mr. Goutam Dewan, convener, Movement for the Protection of Forest and Land Rights in the Chittagong Hill Tracts; Mr. Nasir Ali Mamun, portrait photographer; and Mr. Abir Abdullah, photojournalist. Prof. Sakhawat Ali Khan, chairman of SEHD will chair the inauguration.

The photography exhibition Arannya O Arannyer Sangskriti ( Forest and Forest Culture) is a selection of images that tell a sad story of our disappearing Natural heritage, the forest; and the cultural heritage of the forest-dependent people. In the true sense the forest is mother to hundreds of species of trees, fauna, and people who consider themselves the children of forest, their traditions, knowledge and lot more. The forest grows and sustains in its own way, not at the mercy of humans. But in the case of Bangladesh and many other countries around the globe human greed has changed many essential features of the forest. In our country, natural forests have been indiscriminately felled on the excuse that they are “less productive” and have been replaced by invasive species. Plantations with invasive or exotic species are wrongly phrased as forests. Plantations on public forestlands have proven to be practices that have drastically depleted our forest traditions. The forest, a place of peace, is now filled with pain.

Despite all the ruins that have taken place on the forestlands, the forest dependent ethnic communities carry forward their traditions, knowledge and cultural heritage.

The Society for Environment and Human Development (SEHD), out of concern for the state of environment, has given Philip Gain an outstanding opportunity to study the fate of our forests. His journey through the Natural heritage for a decade and half has made this exhibition possible. Although his primary assignment is intended for the print media, his predilection for photographs and the issues concerning forests and forest dependent people have brought him in close proximity with the complexities of the forest. The images in this exhibition are simple and the obvious focus has been laid on the people, who are wrongly blamed for the destruction of the forest. Philip Gain has tried to capture in images the silent yet profound pain of man and forest. He has also not missed the beauty of the diverse forest-dependent communities.