Forgotten - photos by Katie Basbagill, June 1, 5-7pm, Gallery No. 2
In January, I had the honor of joining Indianapolis based non-profit, OBAT Helpers in Bangladesh. I traveled throughout the country with OBAT's founder, Anwar Khan, to document photo stories and the work that they are doing throughout the country. OBAT Helpers is currently one of very few organizations working with hundreds of thousands of people that were displaced as a result of the 1970s war between Pakistan and Bangladesh. These seemingly forgotten people live in squalid conditions and most scrape just to get by each day.
What we saw was absolutely gut wrenching. However, as I listened to story after story, I started to notice a common theme in each person’s perspective: resilience. Though the people I spoke with came from a very tumultuous past and had an uncertain future, they got up each morning and faced their realities with fierce tenacity. Each day seemed brand new.
The photographic exhibit “FORGOTTEN” is about initiating a conversation about a group of people that have been adversely affected by a war that occurred over 40 years ago. It’s about providing a place and platform for these individuals to share their stories and to encourage others to get involved in OBAT Helpers’ work.
In addition to numerous large-scale photographs at the exhibit, photo books will also be available. The photo books detail each subject's story and highlight OBAT’s work in various communities in Bangladesh.
The exhibit opens on June 1st with a reception from 5-7pm in the Harrison Center’s Gallery No. 2. It is slated to be up through June 28th, so those who can’t make it to the reception are welcome to stop in during business hours, Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm.
For more information, visit: www.obathelpers.org