Nothing Left to Call Home

Credit: Taniya Sarkar

"The history of Bengal's partition has deeply affected me since childhood. I grew up hearing stories from my grandparents and neighbors about riots and mass exodus, which have influenced my present. In 2020, I started a project after witnessing communal violence in the northeast part of Delhi, India. This prompted me to investigate the history of sectarian and religious violence in my homeland, particularly how it historically manifested as patriarchal violence against women. I also aim to highlight the role of women who were not only victims but also played a significant part in resisting religious violence, but have been erased from our land's history."

Taniya Sarkar is an Indian photographer whose work focuses on the socio-political reality of Bengal through the stories of women, exploring religion-related topics to uncover colonial narrative gaps. Her masterclass project, Nothing Left to call Home, tells the story of Bengali women, in India and Bangladesh, who have been disproportionately affected by communal polarization, riots, and migration since 1947.

For the 28th edition of the Joop Swart Masterclass, we brought together 12 emerging photographers from around the world to develop a project, and develop the tools to make a viable career in photography.

The participants' developing projects cover a wide array of topics, from explorations of love amid war to the profound impact of conflict on people’s lives. Collectively, their work highlights the concerning state of the world and the resilience of communities and journalists worldwide.

Launched in 1994, the Joop Swart Masterclass is World Press Photo’s best-known educational program for emerging photographers, encouraging new and diverse approaches to photojournalism, documentary photography and visual storytelling. After a three-year hiatus, the Joop Swart Masterclass returns this year, with a focus on the MENA region, thanks to funding from the Porticus Foundation.