DOK17: Students in photojournalism present visual stories from China
AJ Gani´s exhibition in Tøihuset, Old Town, Fredrikstad.
During this year’s DOK17 the graduating students in photojournalism launched their book and exhibition “Meanwhile” consisting of visual stories from China. Several HiOA photojournalism alumnis were present both as participant in the festivals seminar program and as exhibiting photographers. Farzana Hossen, visual artist from Bangladesh and former participants in the HiOA´s photojournalism bachelors course, international reporting, showed her project “Only Because They are Women” on Bangladeshi victims of acid attacks in an open-air exhibition outside the Cultural House in the Old Town. Close by in Tøihuset the Bangladeshi photographer AJ Ghani displayed his project “Statless Untouchable” about the Dalits cast in Nepal post 2015 earthquake. Yan Cong from China exhibiting her work “The price of happiness” Commercially arranged marriage between Chinese men and Cambodian women is not uncommon in a village called Huanggang in south China. Both projects supported by the Fritt Ord-foundation student grant.
The DOK-festival in Fredrikstad, Norway, is the Norwegian national festival for documentary photography and photojournalism. The festival is an event that gathers professionals, students, lecturers and general public mainly from Scandinavia. During the two week long festival-period 8 – 10 open air Exhibitions are on display throughout the city centre and in Fredrikstad´s Old Town. In addition to exhibitions in pop-up-galleries and the exhibition hall Hydrogenfabrikken. During the weekend 150 – 200 participants gathered to join seminars and lectures with international recognized photojournalists and visual storytellers in the House of Literature. This year’s line-up consisted of Damon Winter (the New York Times), Peter van Agtmael (Magnum Photos), Jonas Bendiksen (Magnum Photos), Luisa Dörr (VII), Joakim Eskildsen, Glenna Gordon, Espen Rasmussen and Warren Richardsson (Worl Press Photo winner 2016). The festival is organized by the DOK-foundation and hosted by Pressefotografenes klubb Norge (NPPA Norway). The HiOA faculty member Jon Petter Evensen is head of the DOK-festival organizing committee. Read more. 
