there’s a fascinating exhibition at whitechapel gallery. dubbed where three dreams cross, it celebrates 150 years of photography from india, pakistan and bangladesh [on until apr 11]. the show gives an inside view of how these countries have been shaped through the lens of their photographers and tells the story of the development of photography in the subcontinent from the 19th century till the present, featuring over 400 works from important collections. mind you, a related symposium is held on fri - feb 19]. location: 77-82 whitechapel high street [city].



© mohammad arif ali - rainy days in lahore [2008]

the inaugural blender festival hits shanghai this weekend. the festival is a melange of design, graff, graphic, photo and video, featuring live performances which then rocks out to a strong dj line up well into the wee hours on apr 25-26 at river south art center. location: 1247 nan suzhou lu.

the praha erotica show of prague-based shnapper simon chang just opened at asylum. the black and white photos on display are a critical exploration of the buoyant czech porn industry and questions the human side of this massive trade. location: 22 ann siang road.



© simon chang

bustling cairo shifts into photo gear on dec 17 - jan 14 when photocairo4 unfolds with exhibitions, screenings, presentations, residencies, a workshop and a temporary publishing house. this year’s edition, dubbed the long shortcut, explores the dynamics between informal and official modes of operation that continue to shape the social reality in this region and beyond. its main exhibition is held at four different venues across town and features works of more than 20 egyptian and international photographers, including mahmoud khaled, ala’ younis, ahmed kamel, heidrun holzfeind and raed yassin. venue locations:

townhouse gallery, 10 nabrawy street [downtown].
e-mobilia building, 23 sherif street, apt. 468 [downtown]
hungarian cultural institute, 13 gawad hosni street [downtown]
contemporary image collective, 20 safeya zaghloul street [mounira]