PRESS RELEASE

Crossing the Line: KIO 2015

One of the rules of photojournalism is to be detached from the story, to observe it from a cold, unflinching position. It is dangerous to become emotionally entangled with the story, because you risk changing the course of the story, and hence, tainting the truth. I have learnt that this school of thought is a futile ideal.

There have been many instances now, after 12 years of being a professional photographer, where I have crossed the line. The stories have become part of me, and I, a small part of them.

When I started Kathmandu INSIDE:OUT in 2012, it was simply born out of a desire to create an immersive photography course, quite apart from what other courses offered.

I believe that photography is the visual manifestation of human experiences, not merely an exercise in technical prowesses.

I chose Kathmandu, because Kathmandu taught me so much about photography. I wanted to share Kathmandu with others, in a personal and self-sustaining way.

More than 30 stories were told in photographs by storytellers of all ages, nationalities and backgrounds. These stories were showcased in a photo exhibition “When The Mountains Called”, at ION Orchard, Singapore 11-17 May 2015.

We estimate more than 30,000 people visited the exhibition, to see a “real Nepal” in photo stories. This was all the more poignant, because all that the public heard and saw of Nepal in the last few months was about death and destruction wrought by the disaster.

This led to 3 successful years of the KIO masterclass

I believe that as human beings, we have the duty to help those we cross paths with. But one part of me keeps saying: you are a photographer, and your duty is to record and present the truth. That’s all. Leave the helping to the aid workers and NGOs.

It is this eternal question: are you a photographer, or are you a human being? The answer would have been simpler if only the choice involved immediate life and death. But alas, intervention means changing the course of the story, tainting the truth photographers work so hard to present in their work.

Still, we decided to cross the line. We turned the photo exhibition - “When The Moun-tains Called” - into a fundraiser. We jumped through many hoops to make sure we could collect funds in a legal and proper way. We scrambled to find sponsors, generous corporates and individuals who identified with our cause.

Many of us took time off work and family to man the exhibition and donation booth. Everyone in the KIO family chipped in one way or another - time, effort, money. We were no longer merely photographers - we were determined to change the course of the Kathmandu story.

Today, the one thing we still cannot change, is the perception of Nepal. Visitors are not going to Nepal because many people still ask if its safe. The lingering shadow of the earthquake continues to haunt our perception of this land of beautiful peo-ple. Many friends also ask me: can KIO continue?

It is a question with no easy answers. Ironically, KIO has officially been included in the newest edition of Lonely Planet 2015 after a rigorous selection process. Ironically, KIO has never been better known than now, due to the publicity from BBC, Channel NewsAsia, and the newspapers. But ironically, we will also face our most difficult year ever.

Still, I believe KIO has to go on. We have crossed the line of being a mere photography masterclass. Crossing the line means that KIO now has to carry on the spirit of storytelling in Kathmandu, not because it is commercially viable, but because it gives hope to our friends.

As such, I have decided that even if we cannot get enough international participants to make it self-sustaining, KIO 2015 will carry on. We will not waste the 12 spaces, but instead, offer 6 sponsored spaces to deserving Nepalese participants.

Sponsored local participants have traditionally been an integral part of the masterclass, albeit they were in smaller numbers previously to maintain financial sustainability (in 2014, there were 2 local participants and 10 internationals).

The class will still be limited to 12 spaces, but our tweak in ratio means we will have more local participation this year. The costs of running the masterclass will be reduced but not significantly - the KIO team will have to find its own means totide over this difficult year.

But we cannot, and shall not turn back, because we have crossed the line. Stories await to be told, and lives yearn to be touched. So we will soldier on.

See you in KIO 2015.

KIO Masterclass has been officially included in the Lonely Planet Nepal Guide 2015!

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