Drik-Out of Focus, Bangladesh (PP)
Project Manager: Drik Picture Library Ltd.
Project Name: Out of Focus
Photography by working-class Bangladeshi children
"Yes the image is of The Hill Tracts. Despite the bright light that glitters on their faces, their heart remains dark among our 'brave' soldiers."
Rangamati,2000
Children of working class backgrounds form a unique aspect of Bangladeshi culture. They show all the curiosity, mischief, and playfulness associated with their age, but they also have a maturity developed through survival, a razor sharp ability to separate the rhetoric from the genuine, and a remarkable self-confidence. All of this makes them very special commentators on their own lives. The charm that they exude due to their keen sense of humour, and their guts, is deceptive. They are aware not only of the barriers that they need to operate within, but also of their exploitation. They talk straight, and they talk hard, and they have developed a sense of caring that has been necessary for their collective survival.
In a country where most people can neither read nor write, images remain a powerful method of communication and entertainment. Images produced by working class children can perhaps most effectively overcome the Bangladeshi political inequality. This collective attempt by these working class children is one of the few examples where the complete authority of the elite has been questioned.
Drik has now been working with the children for over seven years. Despite many disadvantages, they have been remarkably successful. The children, with major international exhibitions, television and radio broadcasts and publications in mainstream media under their belt, have formed their own media company to ensure that their voices continue to be heard.
To find out more information on this project please go to: http://www.drik.net/outoffocus/