TBM Report ||
The photography book Images of Paris by Bangladeshi photographer Farid Ahammad Rony has now reached the hands of former French President François Hollande. Roni presented the book to the former French president during a meeting at an event held in Paris on August 28.
Capturing the history, architecture, art, literature and urban life of Paris through photography, the publication has already reached several prominent personalities in France and on the international stage. The initiative to present Paris through the eyes of a Bangladeshi photographer represents a distinctive effort combining photography, urban history and cross-cultural communication.
At the event on August 28, Farid Ahammad Rony had a courtesy meeting and exchanged views with former French President François Hollande. During the meeting, Rony presented him with a copy of Images of Paris. Their discussion touched on the book’s focus on Paris, the aesthetic dimensions of the photographs, and how culture-based creative works can create avenues for communication and mutual understanding among people from different countries. The opportunity to personally present the work of a photographer from Bangladesh to a former head of state marks a significant addition to Roni’s creative journey.
Images of Paris has reached not only France’s national-level political leadership but also prominent figures in the Paris city administration. During a meeting with former Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, Farid Ahammad Rony presented her with a copy of the book. They also discussed the book’s contents and the initiative to portray Paris through photography.
On June 30, Roni also had a courtesy meeting and exchanged views with the current Mayor of Paris. The discussion covered the contents of the book, the aesthetic qualities of the photographs, and the potential role of such a publication in strengthening cultural ties between Bangladesh and France. In this way, the photography book has created a connection between the urban life and heritage of Paris and the perspective of a Bangladeshi artist.
Images of Paris is primarily an effort to present the history, heritage and contemporary life of a city through photography. Published in Bangla, English and French, the book features Paris’s historic architecture, artistic heritage, diverse urban life and distinctive cultural atmosphere. By combining photographs with elements of history and culture, the book goes beyond the conventional format of a photobook and serves as a visual document through which readers can explore and understand Paris.
Alongside familiar landmarks and tourist destinations, Rony has attempted to capture various layers of the city’s life, time and culture through his camera. As a result, his Paris is not merely a city of architecture; it is also a city of people, history and change.
Before presenting the book to François Hollande, Farid Ahmed Roni had the opportunity to share Images of Paris with several other prominent figures on the international stage. At the international ChangeNOW Summit held at Paris’s historic Grand Palais, he presented copies of the book to Prince Albert II of Monaco, former French Prime Minister Laurent Fabius and Melissa Fleming, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations.
During these meetings, Roni not only presented his photographic work but also had the opportunity to discuss the role of photography in building connections among people from different countries through culture and creativity.
The fact that the work of a Bangladeshi photographer has reached state, political and international figures from different countries through the same project has created an opportunity to expand the book’s international profile.
Farid Ahammad Rony’s Images of Paris has also reached French President Emmanuel Macron. An official response subsequently received from the relevant office became a source of special inspiration for his longstanding creative work. The fact that the same book has reached France’s current and former national leadership, prominent figures in Paris’s city administration, and influential personalities on the international stage highlights the project’s broad reach. It also reflects a sustained effort to introduce the work of a Bangladeshi photographer to the international arena.
Behind the Images of Paris project lies a lengthy process of research, photography, information gathering and planning. The project was developed with the aim of presenting a city as historically and culturally layered as Paris not merely through its visual scenes but also within their broader historical and cultural context. Researchers, academics, cultural personalities and well-wishers from France and Bangladesh have also played an important role in supporting the implementation of the project.
One of the distinctive features of the book is that it offers an opportunity to see one of the world’s most historic and culturally significant cities through the eyes of a Bangladeshi photographer. In that sense, Images of Paris can be regarded not only as a photographic collection about a city but also as a medium of cultural connection between Bangladesh and France.
For Farid Ahammad Rony, photography is not merely a means of capturing visual beauty; it is also a powerful way of preserving time, people and history. His photographic practice seeks to document human life, cultural diversity, social change and significant moments of time. Images of Paris represents an important part of that longstanding creative journey.
The effort to present Paris to international audiences through the perspective of a Bangladeshi photographer is therefore connected not only to a personal creative achievement but also to a broader process of cultural exchange.
The presentation of the book to François Hollande, along with its reaching the hands of various prominent figures in France and on the international stage, has added a new dimension to that journey. At the same time, it has created an opportunity to showcase Bangladesh’s photographic practice and cultural creativity to a wider international audience.
