Light and shadow :Photography exhibition by Prism

Photographic Forum; Prism arranged a weeklong photo exhibition at the Drik Gallery, which ended on August 21. A total of 70 photographs taken by 25 photographers were on display. The weeklong exhibition was titled "Aloy-Kaloy Aanka". "The basics of photography lie behind the concept of light and shadows. That's why, we selected the title 'Aloy-Kaloy Aanka', referring to the relationship between light and darkness," said Md. Rafiqul Islam, convenor of Photographic Forum; Prism. "Earlier we arranged two more exhibitions with the same title," added Rafiqul Islam.Prism started its journey in 1998 as an institution through a publication titled "Photography Kolakoushal O Monon". Later, the present, former students of Prism and their photographer friends with the same frame of mind came together and formed a new platform, which is 'Photographic Forum; Prism'. Since then, the forum has been organising photographic excursions, contests and exhibitions regularly. A panel of judges -- including Golam Mostofa, Dr. Rashidunnabi and Shankar Sawjal -- selected six out of the 70 photographs on display for the awards at the exhibition-competition. The awards were conferred in categories such as best photographs (three), certificate of merit (two) and special jury award (one).Kaoser Ahmed, K.M. Jahangir Alam and Mohammed Golam Sarower received the best photographs awards. Works by Emu Imran and M. Yousuf Tushar were selected for the certificate of merit while Elius Hasan Elu won the special jury award.Scenic beauty, womanhood, childhood, abstract themes, cultural practices of different communities, architecture and terracotta plaque were some of the themes of the entries.Mohammed Golam Sarower's award-winning photograph depicts a woman washing clothes on a floating boat. Sarower's other works on display at the exhibition highlight the diverse cultural practices in different regions of Bangladesh.Elius Hasan's special jury award winning photo captures a familiar rural image -- a woman holding her child around her waist, looking towards the nearby kheya ghaat. A photograph, taken by Noor Ahmed Gelal shows thousands of people fishing together -- giving the event a festive look.Spider's web or making a flute out of bamboo, architectural heritage of Old Dhaka and working at a dockyard are some of the subjects. "The forum wishes to arrange such exhibitions every year from now on," said Rafiqul Islam.