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Focus on The Wall: Images of Everyday from Around the World
updated
11.27.07
Amidst the fliers, penned messages and profile silhouettes that cover The Wall surrounding the Nexus construction site, two photography displays stand out for their vibrant colors and intriguing subjects. The photographs are the work of two students who have embraced this space as a canvas for expression: Asiya Khaki '09 and Ellen Robinson '08. Both traveled to Ghana this past summer as Barnard-Gilder Fellows, six students selected to represent Barnard at a historic conference on the abolition of slavery, which was held in part to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Ghana's independence. The trip was led by Kim Hall, Lucyle Hook Professor of English and Director of Africana Studies and the Middle Passage Initiative, along with professors Christine Cynn and José Moya. Both Khaki and Robinson also traveled to Ahmedabad, India, and volunteered independently with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) during the summer. Throughout their travels, Khaki and Robinson captured striking images of everyday life, providing a glimpse of the complex cultures they saw firsthand.
Asiya Khaki
For Asiya Khaki, an Architecture and Middle Eastern and Asian Studies double major, traveling to Ahmedabad, India was an opportunity to use and expand her knowledge of Gujarati, the regional language spoken in the state of Gujarat, India, and the language Khaki's parents used when speaking to each other while she was growing up. The trip was also a chance to pursue personal interests in journalistic photography and social change. While there, she worked as a volunteer to create a Web site and brochure materials for SAMERTH, an NGO that runs ten preschools for three- to five-year olds in Juhapura, the largest Muslim slum in Gujarat.
"Through my photographs, I endeavor to tell stories about the people I meet in effort to portray human life in its element," said Khaki. One photo she finds especially meaningful shows four serious-looking children, seated in a row of brightly colored plastic chairs in front of a wall painted with a wave of blue. "This photo was taken in a classroom I worked in with pre-school aged children," said Khaki. "This was their introduction to the educational system, and for many of the Muslim students, it was their first interaction with kids from Hindu families and vice-versa."
Another of Khaki's photos from Ghana shows an old coastal wall, with a security guard and an old canon side-by-side, both facing out to sea. The sky is gray, and the sea is calm. The caption reads, "Old and new forms of security at Cape Coast Castle." The castle, used as a port in the transatlantic slave trade, is now primarily a tourist destination: a place where Ghana's past and present collide.
"Participating in the conference taught me a lot about the transatlantic slave trade and its historical context, and also ignited an interest in academia as a potential career path," said Khaki. This experience, along with her time spent in India, have also contributed to a desire to continue taking photos that shed light on issues and capture life in a poignant and artistic way.
Ellen Robinson
Ellen Robinson, an Urban Studies major with a concentration in Education, also traveled to India, spending eight weeks as a volunteer for the group Manav Sadhna. Guided by Mahatma Gandhi's belief in peace, truth, non-violence and compassion, this organization provides an array of services for the largest slum area in the state of Gujarat. Robinson's role was to make a documentary about local anganwadis, or government-supported preprimary schools that are run out of homes and serve as community centers.
"While this selection of photos by no means portrays a complete picture of the places I visited or the people I met, they do depict the hidden beauty of various aspects of India and Ghana," said Robinson. One of her favorite photos from India shows a woman, draped in a vibrant sari, standing in an open metal doorway looking warmly at the camera. To her right, a brightly decorated trash basket adorns a decaying wall alongside the doorway, painted red and blue. "This one is meaningful not only because of the beauty of the woman and her surroundings, but also because of the context in which it was taken," said Robinson, who went on to describe the heavy monsoons that arrive in India each summer, devastating communities with flooding. "This picture was taken on the first morning after the flooding and accurately represents the mood and sentiment — evidence of a bright future and reason to be optimistic, even in the face of dire circumstances."
Both Khaki's and Robinson's photographs are now on display on The Wall, located on the pathway between Lehman and Altschul.
More information on the Nexus: www.barnard.edu/nexus
More information on the Middle Passage Initiative: www.barnard.edu/africana/mpi
More information on the Gilder Fellows: www.barnard.edu/africana/metewonne
More information on SAMERTH: www.samerth.org
More information on Manav Sadhna: www.manavsadhna.org
More information on Asiya Khaki's photography in India & Ghana:
www.khaki.org/asiya
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