05 December 2025
to 20 December 2025
Drik Picture Library, Dhaka, Bangladesh
In 2025, World Press Photo celebrates its 70th anniversary. In this landmark year, we’ve taken the deliberate step of inviting external interpretation of our extensive archive. The anniversary exhibition, What Have We Done?, curated by Cristina de Middel, aims to deepen and challenge one’s understanding of how images construct meaning, promoting a more nuanced engagement with visual storytelling.
By examining archival images and their contexts, we acknowledge the remarkable work done by journalists in often very challenging circumstances, while simultaneously inviting the public to engage with our visual past not as a fixed narrative, but as a living resource that informs how we might tell stories differently.
The exhibition is organized around five recurring visual patterns identified in our archive:
In seven decades, the three words that define this award have transformed completely: "World," "Press," and "Photo" don’t mean the same in 1955 as they do today. This exhibition acknowledges that shift while asking where we go from here.
It is an invitation to rethink not just how our visual language has changed but also how we, as viewers and citizens, should be learning to read images with a sharper and more critical eye.
At World Press Photo, we believe in the power of storytelling to spark dialogue, raise awareness, and inspire change.
Cristina de Middel is a Spanish photographer renowned for her conceptual approach to photojournalism. Formerly a staff photojournalist, she transitioned to personal projects that challenge perceptions of reality. Her notable works include The Afronauts, a reimagining of Zambia's 1960s space program, and Journey to the Center, documenting migrant caravans through Mexico. She was a recent president of Magnum Photos.
Drik Picture Library
Level-6, 16, DrikPath Bhobon, Sukrabad Panthapath
Dhaka 1207, Bangladesh
Free admission
The What Have We Done? exhibition will be accompanied by a pop-up festival where critical thinkers and photographers will spark dialogue and reflect on photography through a program of talks and panel discussions, photographer presentations and workshops.
11:00
World World Photo presentation
Why Your Work Belongs in the Contest
Gain insider advice on how to submit your work to the 2026 World Press Photo Contest. Learn what makes a compelling entry, how judging works, and how to leverage the contest for career growth.
16:30
Photographer presentation
River Runs Violet
With Sumi Anjuman
17:00
Panel discussion (in Bangla)
Use and abuse of the photo in public discourse
With Sara Hossain, Lawyer and Human Rights Defender; Shahidul Alam, Photographer, Activist & Curator; Syed Zakir Hossain, Chief Photographer, The Business Standard.
The pop-up festival also features a 3-day workshop on ‘Photojournalism and Visual Narrative’, led by Gabrielle Fonseca Johnson, South Asia Editor for Reuters Pictures.
