However, sometimes a single photo can say more than the longest news piece or essay.
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This idea is now on display at the Catching the Light exhibit and book launch at Myanmar Deitta until May 14..
The exhibit showcases the work of German photographer Birgit Neiser, who has been visiting here since the early 1980s..
“On my first trip, we couldn’t see a lot of Myanmar, but I became fascinated by the culture and people,” she told Weekend, recounting her 1981 trip..
Like many Europeans, Neiser first came to Myanmar as a backpacker but then returned in 2010 to support an NGO in the Delta region. Since then, she has spent a couple of months here every year.
The exhibit showcases the work of German photographer Birgit Neiser, who has been visiting here since the early 1980s..
“On my first trip, we couldn’t see a lot of Myanmar, but I became fascinated by the culture and people,” she told Weekend, recounting her 1981 trip..
Like many Europeans, Neiser first came to Myanmar as a backpacker but then returned in 2010 to support an NGO in the Delta region. Since then, she has spent a couple of months here every year.
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Catching the Light focuses on the dramatic changes from the period 2010 to 2016.
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“Looking back, I feel that the country has changed more between 2010 and 2017 than between 1981 and 2010.”
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The black and white images deftly portray the political, economic and cultural transformations.
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“By documenting today’s Myanmar, my photos might serve as a point of reference in decades to come. My goal was to capture the status quo as something to come back to in the future,” she said.
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“The country will continue to change radically so I tried to record as many unique moments of this time as possible.”
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Neiser discussed with Weekend one of her more unforgettable moments on this journey – documenting an elephant camp in the forest near Putao.
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“Looking back, I feel that the country has changed more between 2010 and 2017 than between 1981 and 2010.”
.
The black and white images deftly portray the political, economic and cultural transformations.
.
“By documenting today’s Myanmar, my photos might serve as a point of reference in decades to come. My goal was to capture the status quo as something to come back to in the future,” she said.
.
“The country will continue to change radically so I tried to record as many unique moments of this time as possible.”
.
Neiser discussed with Weekend one of her more unforgettable moments on this journey – documenting an elephant camp in the forest near Putao.
.
She said at the camp, the elephants worked hard to pull timber out of the forest and push it onto a truck from an elevated embankment.
“They are highly skilled and intuitive; when one log was close to rolling off the truck, they immediately tried to stop it from falling with two elephants working as a team to grab the log and heave it back onto the truck,” she said.
“The elephants seemed to enjoy the challenges they faced and I interpreted in their eyes the same proud look I saw on their mahouts at the end of the day.”
She also travelled using all sorts of local modes of transport including on the back of a timber truck in the Kachin mountains, on a motorbike through Northern Shan State and on board an old fishing vessel in the Andaman Sea.
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“If I have been able to capture the spirit of Myanmar, even scratch on its surface, I am happy.”
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“An achievement for me would be to make others understand – at least to some extent – the spirit of the country and to give back to Myanmar people not only the pictures that I took of them but also show remote corners of the country where many have not travelled.”
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During her current trip, Neiser will also do some photography in Mandalay.
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Neiser’s work has previously been displayed at the National Museum Yangon where her photographs of the country were juxtaposed with old photographs taken by Christine Scherman, another German documentary photographer who had travelled in Myanmar 100 years ago.
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“Everyone in Myanmar has become a photographer through mobile phones. Also there are many more professional photographers around than before,” she said.
.
“This is wonderful, especially because the Myanmar photographers will hopefully introduce some new styles and fresh ideas to photography.”
.
Myanmar Deitta is at 49 44th Street, Botahtaung Township.
“They are highly skilled and intuitive; when one log was close to rolling off the truck, they immediately tried to stop it from falling with two elephants working as a team to grab the log and heave it back onto the truck,” she said.
“The elephants seemed to enjoy the challenges they faced and I interpreted in their eyes the same proud look I saw on their mahouts at the end of the day.”
She also travelled using all sorts of local modes of transport including on the back of a timber truck in the Kachin mountains, on a motorbike through Northern Shan State and on board an old fishing vessel in the Andaman Sea.
.
“If I have been able to capture the spirit of Myanmar, even scratch on its surface, I am happy.”
.
“An achievement for me would be to make others understand – at least to some extent – the spirit of the country and to give back to Myanmar people not only the pictures that I took of them but also show remote corners of the country where many have not travelled.”
.
During her current trip, Neiser will also do some photography in Mandalay.
.
Neiser’s work has previously been displayed at the National Museum Yangon where her photographs of the country were juxtaposed with old photographs taken by Christine Scherman, another German documentary photographer who had travelled in Myanmar 100 years ago.
.
“Everyone in Myanmar has become a photographer through mobile phones. Also there are many more professional photographers around than before,” she said.
.
“This is wonderful, especially because the Myanmar photographers will hopefully introduce some new styles and fresh ideas to photography.”
.
Myanmar Deitta is at 49 44th Street, Botahtaung Township.
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Source - MMTIMES
