Togo Photographer @ Chobi Mela International Festival of Photography

Togo Mon 14-03-2011

Togo Photographer @ Chobi Mela International Festival of Photography
By Punny Kabir

Internationally acclaimed photographer-cum-painter Abdoul-Ganiou Dermani was one of the foreign participants at the international photography festival, Chobi Mela, organised by Drik.

This is for the first time that Dermani, a Germany-based photographer from Togo, West Africa, was visiting an Asian country.

Tourage by Abdoul-Ganiou Dermani

^{Tuareg by Abdoul-Ganiou Dermani, 2008}

He participated with his digital entrée ‘Everyday objects that hide human faces’, which was displayed at the digital exhibition at Goethe-Institut show, is a part of the 6th edition of Chobi Mela.

Since this year’s theme of Chobi Mela is ‘Dream’, Dermani’s display upheld the theme in a very different way. ‘I have my own interpretation of dream. To me, dream is like hope. I want to spread positive thinking and happiness among people through my photographs,’ Dermani told New Age in an interview.

Dermani received several international awards including Ambassador for Peace Award from Universal Peace Federation in 2007.

^{Sexy lady by Abdoul-Ganiou Dermani, 2009}

His displayed work featured photographs portraying shapes of human faces made of everyday objects. Expressions of these artificially made human faces are somewhat relevant to the object.

For example, one of these faces made by electrical wire gives a scary look to resemble the high price of electricity.

Some of the faces are very innovative and funny. ‘My intention is to create humour. I would like to create a positive feeling that gives hope and makes people feel good,’ he said,

‘My works talk about everyday life, hope, love, peace and friendship among people and the nations’, said an optimistic Dermani.

^{Laughter is good by Abdoul-Ganiou Dermani, 2010}

Dermani found the exhibition very thrilling and visited all the venues. He said, ‘Chobi Mela holds the international standard in true sense by selecting and displaying high quality photographs. It gave me the opportunity to meet many internationally acclaimed photographers from around the world’.

During his short visit to Dhaka, he found rickshaw as a very interesting subject of his photographs. He said he never saw such a transport in his life. At a glance, he found it colourful but he also observed the struggle of the rickshaw pullers. He suggested replacing the rickshaw by some motorized vehicles. He wants to make a project on his newly taken photographs of rickshaw.

Posted By: Maggie Otieno

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