New Belgrade
Serbia has been a place of change and unrest for centuries. Its past has been punctuated with numerous conflicts, border changes, political upheaval and occupation. More recently it has struggled through the effects of communism and dictatorship. After the break up of Yugoslavia, boundary disputes resulted in war and civil conflict. The last military action, which took place in the capital, Belgrade, was in 1999. Years on, the children of that era have matured and grown into the students and young adults of today. They are detached from the past and want Serbia to move on into a modern western democracy. They have a desire to become part of the European Union which would bring with it freedom to travel and opportunities for them to experience more of the world.
The city is visibly changing. All around the city are expressions of energy and vibrancy and self expression. The violent history whilst not being forgotten is disguised and converted. The ambiance is of a new Belgrade and a new Serbia which, whilst not forgetting the past, is determined to look forward.
Shanti Devi’s Journey to Maternal Death
The images in this exhibition tell the story of a woman whom tragically, like so many of the marginalised and poor people of India, experienced the systematic failure by the state to provide her with the basic human right to maternal health. The photographs illustrate the journey Shanti Davis made in vein to seek medical assistance during complications in her pregnancy, which ultimately cost her life. The photographic story uses her voyage as a narrative to guide the viewer through the wide range of contributing factors that lead to India's shameful reputation for holding one of the worlds highest maternal mortality rates.