Norwegian photographer’s pictures show the story of the impact of climate change in Bangladesh
Norwegian photographer Orion F. Illinvag’s solo photography exhibition ‘As You Were’ has opened on the impact of climate change. The 28 pictures that made it to the exhibition at the Drik Gallery, Dhaka, are not disaster pictures.
The story of the impact of climate change has emerged in them. The similarities and differences between different environments and places have been highlighted through these pictures. Each picture has a different story, and all the pictures are related.
Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Chief Executive of the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), inaugurates the exhibition. Espen Rikter-Svendsen, Norwegian Ambassador to Dhaka, and Shahidul Alam, Managing Director of Drik Gallery, were present during the inauguration.
Orion first visited Bangladesh in 2007 to report on saltwater intrusion and flood damage in the Yamuna river basin. Currently living in Dhaka, this photographer has been working on politics, economy, energy, and climate change in the USA, Switzerland, and Bangladesh for 40 years.
Orion believes that despite understanding the effects of climate change, people still need to change their habits. He said, “We know what harm we are doing, but we are not changing ourselves.
Maybe we don’t understand the gravity of the matter. So, I can’t do what needs to be done. My intention with this exhibition is to create curiosity and encourage questions to raise about it.”
Norway’s ambassador said there are many ways to raise awareness about climate change. Photography is a very different way to tell these stories. A picture is more powerful than thousands of pages of documents.
Syeda Rizwana Hasan said that if climate change has an adverse effect anywhere in the world, it will also affect Bangladesh. This is a problem that everyone must work together to solve.
This message should spread everywhere.” Concerned people have demanded the conservation of the island.
