Tone Int'l Miniature Art Biennale in the capital

In an endeavour to bring back the golden era of art, the 5th Tone International Miniature Art Biennale 2015 is now simultaneously on at two galleries -- Gallery Chitrak and Athena Gallery of Fine Arts in the capital. The biennale has been dedicated to master artist Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin, one of whose works is also on display at the exhibit.    

Organised by Tone Art Society of Bangladesh (TASB), the biennale is featuring miniature arts in diverse media by 324 artists from 27 countries -- Bangladesh, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Finland, Ireland, USA, UK, Denmark, Canada, Poland, Cyprus, Armenia, Slovakia, Serbia, India, China, Hong Kong, South Africa, Singapore, Qatar, Lebanon, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar and Pakistan. 

The opening and award-giving ceremonies took place at Gallery Chitrak on November 13 and at Athena Gallery of Fine Arts the next day.

A jury of Mustafa Monwar, Rafiqun Nabi and Samarjit Roy Choudhury selected 20 artists for awards in several categories. Bangladeshi artist Mohammad Rabin bagged the grand award while Raymonde Chavoor (USA), Md. Alauddin (Bangladesh), Kamruzzaman (Bangladesh), Istiak Akono Sakib (Bangladesh), Arafat Karim (Bangladesh), Jayanta Sarkar John (Bangladesh), Md. Abdul Momen Milton (Bangladesh) and Sabha Sumaiya (Bangladesh) won in various categories.

Bangladeshi artists Lutfun Nahar, Palash Uddin Khalifa, AH Dhali Tomal, Shyamal Chandra Sarkar and Fedeya Shahnaz -- along with a South African artist Leonora De Lange received Tone Glow Award each. Sharmila Aravind from India bagged the Best SAARC Country Award while Anetta Stylanou received the Best Foreign Artist Award. Md. Rashed Alam (Bangladesh) achieved Tone Chitrak Creative Award while Amit Nandi (Bangladesh) and Eva Choung – Fux (Spain) bagged Tone Athena Creative Awards.

“Through the Tone Art Biennale, we hope to raise the voice of contemporary Asian Miniature Art. Every five years there is a World Miniature Art exhibition. The next one will be held in South Africa in 2016. Our dream is to host this prestigious event in Bangladesh,” said Khalid Mahmood Mithu, president of TASB.

Artworks by renowned guest artists including, Kazi Abdul Baset, Mustafa Manwar, Rafiqun Nabi, Samarjit Roy Choudhury, Hamiduzzaman Khan, Kanak Chanpa Chakma and Khalid Mahmood Mithu are at the exhibition. 

The exhibition, open from 10am to 8pm daily, will end on November 30.