Bringing voodoo dancing to Dhaka
"The pictures don't focus particularly on movement or person. The photos build up the ambiance for dancing to appease the gods. Here in the exhibition is a presentation of worshipping of the pantheon of 21 voodoo gods. The voodoo practices were introduced to the island when the slaves were brought to Santa Damingo to serve the white masters. The local people mixed African religion with Catholic festivals," says Dalla Vedove.
Dalle Vedove, who is now 36, began photography at the age of 12. He used films to make documentaries of the theatre school, as he went along, the main aim being to capture the beauty of the dance. He went to Jean Verdier's school of photography, and studied with Carlos Warner, the official photographer of the archives of Paris. He was also influenced by Boubat and Sebastian Salgado. When photographing, he focuses on the movements and the facial expressions of the dancers. He has used a lot of black and white as through it you can best focus on the movement. He has used colour too but when he has done that, there is lack of clarity in the action of the dance, as he explains himself. "Black and white best helps you focus on the forms," says Dalla Vedove, "I like colour and black and white both, preferring each for different subjects. I used colour when I brought in the background of the composition in a big way. I also used colour in some to heighten the effect."
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Asked to name a memorable incident in his career as a photographer, he said, in Santa Damingo, the traditional whiplash of the voodoo dance was once so intense that accidentally it hurt his eye, so much so that he was afraid of losing it.
Dalla Vedove is in Bangladesh to study Baul culture. He finds the traditional life in Bangladesh very appealing, especially the music, dance and clothes.