Art has travelled over time and adapted to various technologies in the past decades. Photography, although so readily available today as a hobby, passion or form of art to so many, did not use to be this easy or simple. And it is in this celebration of what is becoming obsolete – box photography – that Longitude Latitude 6 is exhibiting the works of box photographer Safder, at their exhibition: “Safder: The Man Behind The Box Camera.”
Photographs taken by Safder, who specialises in box camera photography – from an era that predates even film photography – span over six decades. Safder has been taking photos since 1952 with his grand old box camera, using paper negatives.
“Safder has been working from 1952 and has seen the transition of many generations and technologies, but he stuck to his craft: paper negatives,” Shehzad Chowdhury, curator of the event, told the Dhaka Tribune, adding that Safder has photographed migrants and refugees who were fleeing or moving following the 1947 partition.
“This kind of box camera is becoming obsolete – no one uses it anymore,” said Shehzad. “But the quality of his photographs are hauntingly beautiful. The negatives have a ghostly feel to them.”
Given that this form of art is soon going to be obsolete, Shehzad and his team decided it is important for the work to be featured.
“This a celebration of the medium itself. It is before film, before digital,” he added.
The exhibition features Safder’s work – mainly portraits, as well as a limited edition of his Still Life Studies that were made especially for the Longitude Latitude 6 customers. These are signed by him.
The exhibition will also include sessions where participants can come and have their photographs taken on the box camera by Safder.
The event is taking place at Bay’s Bellavista, Plot 96, Road 11, Block C, Banani and is open daily from 2pm to 9pm. The Dhaka Tribune is a media partner at the event.
