The Stonebreakers

Each of the artists involved in this exhibition focuses on the main yard in their respective countries—Chittagong in Bangladesh, Alang in India and Gadani in Pakistan. They all complicate the objectivity of the documentary image, be it photographic, archival, acoustic or filmic, with a surreal twist. Experimenting with various analogue cameras, film stocks and unconventional processing techniques, Ahmed’s large-scale prints and intimate Polaroids zero in on the ships’ dismembered carcasses and capture minute details of the surrounding landscapes. In his moody images, the vessels appear as ghostly ruins and the site a picturesque nautical graveyard, much like the field of abandoned dhows near Warehouse421.

Please note that due to Covid-19 outbreak, Warehouse421 is temporary closed until March 31st