1.Is
DRIK what I think it is?
Drik is as exciting as I thought it was. Drik came up to the expectations
I had when I first got to know about them two years ago. Even more so,
the story of Drik is more exciting and overall fundamental then I thought.
Internationally the picture library and the two yearly photofestival Chobi Mela are the most visible. Locally Drik is more known as a gallery and on a national level clients see Drik as a design studio where they can have their websites, documentaries and printed matter made. Drik has grown naturally and it still does. Starting off with the picture library and a darkroom, the reproduction of the work was done out of the house. Because of the poor quality Drik started to do the graphic design and print production themselves. And so on. Drik.tv is the newest branch. Drik news and the Pathshala media academy and school of photography are seperate unities. Pathshala school of photography delivers high quality photojournalists who have contracts with press agencies scattered around the world even before leaving school. Drik news is an initiative of an ex student of the photography school and is run completely separate.
>Pathshala media academy and school of photography
>Abir Abdullah editing photo’s of first years students.
>My
desk at the picture library next to the man in the chequered shirt.
Shahidul Alam talking to Duncan, owner of Photo stock agency for advertisement
pictures about a possible future coöperation.
In 1994
Shahidul and his partner in life selected some bright young kids, working
as child labourers in the garment industry. Ten years old when they
got a six weeks training in photography. All of the 47 kids who were
taken out of the industry in this way have found good jobs. Half of
the group is still working in DRIK. DRIK has seven departments that
function independently. The picture library, the graphic design/print
office, the multimedia department, the photostudio, internetdepartment,
the audiovisual department and the galleryspaces. If necessary they
will coöperate. In the two big gallery spaces not only photos are shown.
There are painting and comics strips exhibitions as well .(sell better
then photos) Drik works for different audiences.
>The moment before the introduction of my work in the gallery space.
Art as the therapist for culture. The next lecture I gave was called:
The myth of freedom in the west !
>I enjoyed the long talks I had with Shahidul in the trafficjam on
our way to public meetings. Here the celebration of the Aga Khan price
for architecture won by the Austrian lady in the back and a Bangla architect.