As I waited outside the exhibition venue, it occurred to me that despite my numerous visits to art museums, I did not recall any Bangladeshi photography.

“Eyes on Bangladesh” consists of photographs that serve as gateways for a more personal look at Bangladeshi culture. Behind each photograph is information that gives audiences insight on what Bangladesh is like. For instance, Shumon Ahmed’s rather personal look at his past allowed me to see the lack of health awareness that can be found in Bangladesh. The way that he harassed his ill mother illustrated this lack of awareness rather poignantly.

A particular composition that stood out to me was Jannatul Mawa’s series of photographs of the matriarchs and maids of various households being seated at the same couch. The idea of having a maid is something very bizarre for someone who was raised in New York. However, despite my lack of exposure to such a concept, this series quickly gave me an intimate feel for what the situation is like in Bangladesh. The awkwardness and rigidity seen in an older generation of maids as opposed to the more lax and natural composure seen in a younger one showed that such a black and white concept was changing with the times. Personal stories about servants being yelled at and treated like garbage as opposed to stories about main families providing funds for servant families to go to college helped illustrate opposite ends of the situation.

Ultimately, this exhibition was greatly enhanced by the stories behind the photographs. There are various series that help paint the joys and struggles of the people of Bangladesh, but most importantly and most simply: a picture.