Zomia: Northeast India

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6 days
Class size
12
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In the Mekong Delta, Vietnam 17 February 2001. Gelatine silver (40 x 50 cm) print in the making. Solothurn, Switzerland, 29 December 2019. ©Daniel Schwartz / VII In the Mekong Delta, Vietnam 17 February 2001. Gelatine silver (40 x 50 cm) print in the making. Solothurn, Switzerland, 29 December 2019. ©Daniel Schwartz / VII

The starting point of this workshop (open to photographers from North and Northeast India, Nepal, and the highlands of Bangladesh) is Guwahati, largest urban center in the Northeast Indian state of Assam. The final destination is Majuli, an island formed by the main Brahmaputra channel and an anabranch. Listed as the world’s largest river island, Majuli is prone to the silent disaster of erosion.

The journey from Guwahati to Jorhat (ferry gate to Majuli) and back is part of the workshop and will be covered by train.

The workshop is a test and prelude for the three-part InZomia Masterclass which is scheduled for Autumn 2020-Spring 2021 with tutors Philip Blenkinsop and Daniel Schwartz.

One of the aims of this weeklong workshop taught by Daniel Schwartz in April 2020 is to recruit the strongest candidates for the InZomia Masterclass. During the workshop photographic skills and visual language will be tested and developed en route and in the field. Results will be analyzed during editing sessions and are meant as guidance to determine approach to and presentation of participants future work. There will be individual portfolio viewings and group discussion of classic works by activist authors such as William Eugene Smith. Participants will be able to share their thoughts on the issues of authenticity, ethics and identity.

Jute being carried on the Jamuna River. Bhuapur, Tangail District, Bangladesh,  20 September 1991. ©Daniel Schwartz / VII Jute being carried on the Jamuna River. Bhuapur, Tangail District, Bangladesh, 20 September 1991. ©Daniel Schwartz / VII

About InZomia

The InZomia project is an investigative documentary project launched by VII Photo Agency authors Philip Blenkinsop, Gary Knight and Daniel Schwartz; it seeks to document the indigenous communities who populate the highlands of South and Southeast Asia. The project looks at the rapid cultural, social and economic transformation taking place in this part of the world. As roads, pipelines, and dams are constructed and lowland influences encroach on indigenous land, these highlanders are now living in closer proximity to their lowland neighbors and are exposed to the challenge of being assimilated into a globalizing culture. The next generation will likely see much of their rich material and immaterial legacy become a matter of history.

InZomia does not seek to pass judgment on whether this development is right or wrong, good or bad; that is for the affected communities to decide for themselves.

To this end the VII Foundation and the VII Academy are planning a series of workshops for visual storytellers from the regions concerned.

The Masterclass participants will work with local organizations to help build their capacity to document their own histories and narratives. The outcomes of the project will be archived for future broadcasting and publishing, and through academic and cultural institutions will be made available to local communities, the general public, and scholars.

Apply to Attend

To apply to attend this course, please click the button below and register on Award Force, our application software. Then create and entry by choosing “InZomia” from the dropdown list of Categories. Please check the eligibility requirements!

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