Photo Exhibition ‘Who does the river belong to?” questions exploitation & development (photos)
The exhibition showcases photography and films produced during a nine-month fellowship program.
KATHMANDU: A thought-provoking photo exhibition titled “Whose Rivers and Streams?” is currently being held at Nepal Art Council, Babarmahal. Organized by Photo Circle, the exhibition runs from Dece 13 to 22.
The exhibition showcases photography and films produced during a nine-month fellowship program.
It invites viewers to rethink how individuals, communities, and the state accept and influence narratives around natural resources, and how these narratives lead to the exploitation and degradation of rivers, forests, and land.
The exhibit raises questions through various stories of development in Nepal:
– In Godawari, marble quarrying has consumed entire hillsides. The question arises: “Whose hills are these?”
– In Mukkumlung, locals continue to resist deforestation caused by a cable car project. The query persists: “Whose forest is this?”
– In Jogidaha, for 30 years, political leaders have promised an airport, yet all that’s occurred is the felling and selling of trees across 156 hectares of forest. “Whose trees are these?”
– In the Sunkoshi River, dams for irrigation and hydropower have redirected its natural flow. The exhibition asks: “Whose river is this?”
These stories and questions highlight the impacts of development on Nepal’s environment and the ownership of natural resources.
The exhibition features the work of talented contributors including Aman Shahi, Amit Machamasi, Deepa Shrestha, Kishor Maharjan, Sara Tunich Koich, Priyanka Tulachan, Samagra Shah, Sundup Dorje Lama, Sanjay Adhikari, and Srina Nepal.
The exhibition provides a powerful reflection on Nepal’s development choices and their environmental consequences.
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