Two Nepali photography projects have been recognized and selected to receive support by the prestigious Magnum Foundation Fund, a US based program that supports photographers around the world to expand creativity and diversity in the field. In collaboration with the Prince Claus Fund, the Magnum Foundation Fund provides grants and project development support to both emerging and experienced practitioners, with an emphasis on photographers working within their communities.

 The two projects are Eclipse by Sagar Chhetri and the Feminist Memory Project by Nepal Picture Library;  Eclipse by Sagar Chhetri is an ongoing project that looks at the ambiguity and ambivalence that exists around the identity of the people of the Madhesh. Chhetri is a freelance photographer currently based in Kathmandu. “The Madhesh is close to my heart as I was born and raised there, despite being non-Madheshi. Through this project, I attempt to better understand the identity struggles of my Madheshi peers. I try to look into how this border region has been a salient incubator of political grievance and is home to one of my generation’s biggest fight for identity.” he says.

 The Feminist Memory Project is a new project initiated by Nepal Picture Library, a digital photo archive run by photo. circle, that seeks to create a visual archive of women’s movements in Nepal.

 According to a press release issued by photo.circle, the project is gathering archival photographs, other documents and oral histories from around Nepal that capture women in pivotal moments of Nepali history, consolidating contributions made by pioneering figures who remain marginalized in our male dominated historiographies.

 The material archived will be used to create curriculum that will engage schools and colleges to encourage Nepali youth to unearth and archive their own family histories, placing their mothers, grandmothers, sisters and aunts at the center of their inquiries. The material will also be exhibited at the third edition of Photo Kathmandu from 12 Oct – 16 No    and published in various forms.

Since 2010, the Magnum Foundation Fund has supported 88 artists, over half of whom are from outside the US and Western Europe. Each year, a changing, independent committee of over 20 international editors, curators, and educators nominates artists who are invited to submit proposals for consideration. This process ensures that a geographically diverse applicant pool get to apply, including people whose authorship is underrepresented within the field of documentary photography.

 “This year, Magnum Foundation received 151 proposals from 29 different countries, which were considered by a jury comprised of Prerana Reddy, Director of Programs at A Blade of Grass, Joshua Chuang, Curator of Photography at the New York Public Library, and Kira Pollack, Deputy Editor at Vanity Fair. 8 projects were selected to receive grants and project development support,” said the press release. 

 Caption: Sagar Chhetri, Eclipse, Birgunj, Parsa, Nepal, 2016.  Bambaiya wanted me to buy his fish.