The photography exhibition ‘The View from my Window’ by young photographer Sahnia Faham, under the mentorship of renowned photographer Shah Mohammad Sazzad Hossain, opened its doors on August 16, 2025, at Gallery Illusions in Lalmatia. The exhibition, running until August 20, aims to challenge societal perceptions of social class and profession through a powerful photographic documentary that explores social division, inequality, and human connection.
The exhibition’s opening ceremony was graced by Mohammad Khalid Hassan, Senior Assistant Secretary at the Ministry of Finance, who served as the chief guest. In his speech, he urged young artists to pursue meaningful art that can inspire positive societal change. He also underscored the importance of supporting the arts and its vital role in shaping public mindsets.
The exhibition presents a year-long documentary, which captures the intimate relationship between the photographer and her domestic help, shedding light on their lives and interactions. Faham, a student at the Aga Khan Academy Dhaka, explained her motivation for the project, stating, “We all preach about changing the world, the institutions, and the government. We all criticize society but don’t do much about it. Real change starts from individual action. It’s most important to bring change within yourself.” She added, “There has always been a stigma toward people from lower working classes; their profession is all they’re defined by. My work focuses on intimate portraiture, which explores the less public side to humanize individuals often reduced to stereotypes, challenging viewers to confront their biases.”
Faham emphasized that her family taught her to treat everyone with respect, making it easier for her to interact across social classes. “I wanted others to act the same way,” she said. “That’s the point of this exhibition. There’s a pattern of portraying people from lower classes as suffering individuals in photography. While that may be the reality for many, I wanted to show resilient people. They are no different—it’s just a difference of opportunities and luck.”
The exhibition will be open daily from 3 PM to 11 PM at Gallery Illusions, inviting visitors to reconsider their narratives about social classes. Faham’s work encourages viewers to look beyond stereotypes and embrace the humanity of all individuals, regardless of their social or professional status.
