Bijon Sarkar

Life and work

Bijon Sarkar born on 11 April 1935, in Gaibandha, Bangladesh. Son of Gouranath Sarkar. Bijon Sarkar left home for Dhaka after his parents died and his ancestral land was lost in river erosion. Bijon had his first lessons in photography from his elder brother Tarapodo Sarkar, who was a self-taught sculptor but pursued photography at leisure. His first professional training in photography was while he participated in the workshop conducted by famous photographer Golam Kashem Daddy. The workshop drew a number of enthusiasts, among them photographer Manzoor Alam Beg. His career in photography took off after his appointment at the Pakistan's Geological Survey in 1962. Seven years later, he joined the Pakistan Television as a cameraman. The television authority sacked him after the War of Independence began in 1971, forcing Sarkar to take refuge in India. He later joined Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation as its Chief Photographer in 1972 and retired from there in 1995. A founder member of Bangladesh Photographic Society (BPS) he became its president in 1990s. He was also one of the founding members of Bangladesh Film Society. Bijon believed photography had every potential to become a form of art like painting. And his first photography exhibition exhibited his belief very well. Bijon Sarker died on 29 December (2012). He sustained head injuries in a road accident on the night of 21 November 2012. He was in a coma and never regained consciousness.

Photography career

Sarker's tooks first photography lesson from his elder brother Tarapodo Sarker, who was self-taught sculptor then he participated the workshop conduct by the famous photographer Golam Kashem Daddy, in 1962 he appointed at the Pakistan's Geological Survey as Photographer. After liberation Bijon Sarkar Joined Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation as a Chief Photographer at the year 1972. In 1995 he retired Parjatan Corporation and become the founder member of Bangladesh Photographic Society (BPS) he became its president in 1990s.

Photogram

He experimented darkroom and created some remarkable artworks, known as Photogram. He was doing photography without a camera. He believed photography had every potential to become a form of art like painting. He also put up an exhibition of photographs at Rawalpindi in 1970, the last solo photo exhibition of him. The nature and life of rural Bengal was always his favorite subject.

Cinematography career

in the year 1969 Sarker joined the Pakistan Television as a cinematographer; he also worked as Assistant Cinematographer in the film 'Nodi o Nari. And he also one of the founding members of Bangladesh Film Society

Awards

Exhibitions

Lifetime achievement

Bijon Sarkar remains one of the unsung heroes of the Bangladesh photographic movement. With a penchant for experimentation Sarkar's photograms of the sixties were remarkable not only for the nature of the work, but because it happened in Pakistan, in complete isolation. Experimentation remained his passion even into the digital age, where he took abstract motifs from found objects to digitally synthesise human and other conventional forms. Bijon Sarkar achieved Chobi Mela International Photography Festival VII lifetime achievement award at 2013

Death

On 29 November 2012 Bijon Sarkar died. He sustained head injuries in a road accident on the night of 21 November 2012. He had been undergoing treatment at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of City Hospital in the Dhaka. He had received injuries in his head, and bled profusely. He was in a coma and never regained consciousness.

Interviews

ফটোগ্রাফি উইদাউট ক্যামেরা! কামরা খন্ড-১