Chobi Mela International Festival Of Photography: [Off] Limits
Overview
As part of this year’s hybrid programming for Chobi Mela, the longest-running international photo biennale in Asia, curators ASM Rezaur Rahman, Sarker Protick and Tanzim Wahab put together [Off] Limits. In the midst of our global crisis, this compilation highlights the works of 14 South Asian artists that reflect on the past and present, discussing elements that are often forgotten in the pandemic.
The artists highlight the spontaneous actions of critical citizenship, testing and pushing the boundaries as a form of happening, without trying to overly define the assemblage. Equally, as we self-isolate, a mindful pause becomes a self-generating concern. A pause doesn’t mean not choosing; it means being able to choose the art one wishes to save, with all the risks and dangers that go along with such a choice.
The multidisciplinary selection is a surge of shared expression, both personal and political; swarming up forms that are organic, in flux, personal, representational and non-representational, almost devoid of an organised form.
Chobi Mela shares the values of social justice that underpin their collective work.
The Works
Portrait of a Protest｜Ronny Sen｜India
Shadow Lives｜Nida Mehboob｜Pakistan
Wish you live long｜ Sumit Dayal｜India
Bor-Porong｜Duburider Atmokothon｜Autobiography of the Drowned｜Samari Chakma & Naeem Mohaiemen｜Bangladesh
Ka Dingiei｜Aishwarya Arumbakkam｜India
Stealing Earth｜Karan Shrestha｜Nepal
Stay Home, Sisters｜Uma Bista｜Nepal
Confrontations｜Bunu Dhungana｜Nepal
Letter from an unborn child｜Thotkata｜Bangladesh
A Nation with No Cure｜Mahmud Hossain Opu｜Bangladesh
Torn｜Salma Abedin Prithi｜ Bangladesh
Time could not be kept at bay｜Yasmin Jahan Nupur｜Bangladesh
Intimacies｜Kushal Ray｜India
Inel｜Saadul Islam｜Bangladesh
