Disappearing Roots by Samsul Alam Helal and Oral History Project: Mofossol photography in Bangladesh by Dr. Shahidul Alam, ASM Rezaur Rahman, and Prof. Christopher Pinney from Drik Picture Library, Bangladesh has been selected as the grantee for Contemporary Take, Beyond Cultural Heritage programme from Prince Claus in a joint call with British Council. The Prince Claus Fund and the British Council believe that both heritage and arts have the potential to create dialogue between communities and foster mutual understanding.
Disappearing Roots - Using the mediums of photography, film and audio, along with found objects, Helal aims to challenge the way that indigenous history is portrayed in mainstream media. One of the aims of the project is to redefine the way that indigenous communities are regarded within society and give a voice to an alternative narrative surrounding the indigenous community, and to shine light on issues that are being ignored by popular culture. By engaging young people through this multimedia intervention, he aims to inspire them to educate themselves further, realize the presence of alternative points of view and finally to be inspired to bring about positive change.
Oral History Project: Mofossol photography in Bangladesh by Drik Picture Library, Bangladesh aims to revive the vernacular history of mofossol (small town) photography in Bangladesh. By approaching mofossol photography as visual heritage, the project will unearth a regional tradition that developed in marginal spaces. Allowing the project’s participants, and the eventual viewers of the future website, to see the way photography has contributed to Bangladeshi ideas of history and memory, will broaden their conceptions of what constitutes Bangladesh’s “heritage”. This project also hopes to create an avenue for mofossol youth engagement that has not been co-opted by the mainstream political parties. It will allow these youths to experience an alternative perspective on their country’s history, using photography as a catalyst.
