Dockyard: Bangladesh Photography exhibition

24 Aug, 2011 by Priyo Australia

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The Dockyard

Towards the end of his life the famous travel writer William Thesinger lamented, “What I hate most are motor cars and airplanes, they have wrecked the world and robbed it of all its diversity.”

The nautical experience was once the mainstay of the journey and part of the ordinary experience of those that traveled for work or leisure. Huge industries were built and maintained via the seas and for centuries simple craft plied short but crucial distances allowing communities the chance to expand their possibilities. To a large extent however, particularly in the western world, the creation of the internal combustion engine replaced water-based travel.

Bangladesh, with its port cities and comprehensive system of inland waterways, retains a closer connection with the maritime experience. Throughout the country the boat remains a central means of everyday transport.

For the people in and around Dhaka’s City Dockyard the maritime and the base element of water linger, firmly an established part of their lives.

Most notably in the dockyard area there is a sense of space, which is periodically taken up by the hulking vessels being dragged up the slip lanes, by hand, for repair or by the enormous skeletal like frames of new cargo ships which are almost completely handcrafted.
The dockyard area however, whilst being the scene of remarkable toil and layered commerce is as much a location in which people dwell, chat, argue, ponder and relax. It is by geographical and commercial necessity that the dockyard also allows its people to be momentarily free from the endless traffic and high density living that characterises much of modern Dhaka.

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‘DOCKYARD’ has been allocated an exhibition space at the renowned Off the Kerb Gallery, (Melbourne). The gallery is one the premier spaces for photography and visual arts in Melbourne. The exhibition contains 12 large sized black and white 16 x 24 inch photographs, printed on Rag Pearl Cotton paper. The exhibition launches on Oct 14th 2011 at 6pm for a period of 3 weeks.