Abir Abdullah, currently is the Photo Editor of the daily newspaper Prothom Alo. Work as an independent photographer and teach photojournalism. Conduct photography workshops both online and physical. Born in 1971 in Bagerhat in Southern Bangladesh, he holds a Masters in Marketing (M. Com) from Dhaka University. Making a significant career change to become a photographer, he studied at the Bangladesh Photographic Institute in 1993 and then at Pathshala Media Institute, gaining a diploma in photojournalism in 1999. Following this the World Press Photo Foundation- Netherlands supported him on a three-year seminar (Pleasure of Life).
He worked as a staff photographer at Drik PLC (1996 to 2005); was a Founding partner of DrikNews (2006); Vice Principal of Pathshala (2010-2012) and was a Jury Member of the World Press Photo in 2011. Abir’s numerous awards includes the Mother Jones Award 2001 for his work on Freedom Fighters (Veterans of the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971) and the 1st Prize National Disaster category NPPA best of photojournalism award 2008. His work continues to gain recognition and he was the Alexia Foundation Professional grants winner 2013 and the recipient of the Leica Reportage prize in the Vevey International Photography Awards in Switzerland 2013.
Abir's work has been published in New York Times, New Yorker, Time, Guardian, The Telegraph, Stern, Der Spiegel, the New Internationalist Magazine and many other international publications. He was one of the photographers featured in the book BLINK, published by Phaidon, featuring 100 photographers worldwide and in the book titled New Stories commissioned and published by World Press Photo.
Highlights of work as an exhibiting artist:
· Reflections: Water and Life in Bangladesh at The Association of Photographers Gallery in London, 1999
· The Pleasure of Life exhibition at Oude Kerk in Amsterdam, 2001
· 2001 Mother Jones award recipients exhibition at the Ansel Adams Center in San Francisco, USA
· Where Three Dreams Cross: 150 Years of Photography from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh exhibition at the Whitechapel Gallery, UK , 2010
· Shattered Faces photo essay at the Freedom to Create exhibition at the Cairo Opera House, 2010; at the Art Gallery of Bosnia and Herzegovina; and at the Galerie Mirchandani + Steinruecke, Mubai, India 2011.
· Climate Refugees series at the Freedom to Create exhibition at Ana Tzarev Gallery, New York, 2011
· Wide Angle View at the Orange County Center for Contemporary Art in CA, USA.
· Metropolis city life in the urban age 2011 - Noorderlicht Photo Festival, Groningen.
· The Visa Pour L’Image in Perpignan, France 2013.
www.abirabdullah.com
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