ABOUT

Watan by Graciela Magnoni is a pictorial-poetic book that explores and bridges the vibrant cultures of both eastern and western Punjab. The book captures the rupture of the watan (homeland), the longing, the love and the connection. In addition to the photographs, the book has beautiful Punjabi poetry. The Punjab region is often referred to as the breadbasket of both India and Pakistan. Punjab was partitioned in 1947 into Eastern Punjab, staying with India, and a Western Punjab, forming a part of the newly created Pakistan. Before partition, Punjab was a religiously syncretic province comprising a Muslim majority and significant Hindu and Sikh populations that had cultivated the land and coexisted for hundreds of years. After partition, the Sikhs and Hindus from Western Punjab migrated to Eastern Punjab and the Muslims from India and East Punjab migrated to Western Punjab. Until today the two sides remain divided by a hard militarized border where communication is almost non-existent. 

Graciela Magnoni is French-Uruguayan. Since childhood she has lived in many countries. For several years she worked as a staff photographer for ISTOE, a news magazine in Brazil. For the last 5 years, Graciela has travelled the world photographing candid scenes on the streets and working on personal projects. She has a M.A. in Journalism from the University of Minnesota and has participated in several of Magnum photographer Nikos Economopoulos workshops.