Exhibition: "Caregivers to Culture Keepers: Stories from Women in a Changing Laos"

The Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre (TAEC) in Luang Prabang, Laos, an ASEMUS member, and international media-arts programme PhotoForward launched the "Stitching Our Stories" (SOS) project in 2012, training women and girls from Lao PDR's ethnic communities in photography, video and community research to document their heritage and the impact of modernisation.

Over two years, young women from the Hmong and Tai Lue communities built a collection of photographs, videos and interviews, which formed the exhibition "Caregivers to Culture Keepers," opening 7 October at TAEC — featuring photographs, seven short documentaries, and objects like batik tools, divination horns and traditional baby carriers.

By the time of the exhibition, the SOS community comprised 28 women and girls aged 9-37 from the Hmong, Kmhmu, Phounoy, Tai Dam, Tai Lao and Tai Lue groups, working as students, artisans, mothers and market sellers. More at taeclaos.org and photoforward.org/culture-keepers.html.