It is a wonderful experience for all the participating artists, artisans, cultural activists, journalists, students and the local inhabitants to participate in the Art Festival 2019, Gazipur. The festival, with the theme, 'Beautiful Environment, Artistic Life', has already gained momentum with the proactive participation of the country's prominent and promising artists.

“Selecting subjects to depict on canvas by the artists is an important aspect that I always enjoy while taking part in an art camp. Artists are portraying works keeping environmental concerns in mind. I depicted crows and goats on canvases,” said Rafiqun Nabi. “Beautiful environment and congenial artistic atmosphere ensure a plethora of creations. Considering the matter, this festival is uniquely different.”

Renowned artist Professor Mohammad Eunus, also the convener of the festival, portrayed a butterfly. The wings of the butterfly are marked with the impression of bricks. The contemporary presentation of the work symbolically evokes the rampant urbanization demolishing the greenery and the biodiversity all around.

Photo: Sheikh Mehedi Morshed

Folk heritage, contemporary socio-political aspects, landscape and elements of nature like fish and birds are the prominent depictions by renowned artists AbdusShakoor Shah, Hamiduzzaman Khan, NisarHossain, Shishir Bhattacharya, Farida Zaman, Ahmed Shamsuddoha, Sheikh AfzalHossain and AfrozaaJamilKonka. Promising artist BishwajitGoswami allegorically portrayed feminine portraits to represent Mother Nature.   Using vibrant colours and multifarious forms, artist Mohammad Iqbal and Anupam Huda depicted abstract imageries that are the reverberation of the decay of the environment.

A special contemporary art project titled, Edge of Existence, is simultaneously going on at the festival venue where 15 talented artists are making and displaying arts independently with an exclusive focus on environmental issues.

Promising artists from public and private universities are creating extraordinary artworks as they are interacting with people and are in a close proximity with nature. Artworks by the school students are no less important than the ones depicted by the promising artists. They have taken making art as a matter of joy and not as tiresome academic pursuits.  

Participation of the people from all walks of life has enlivened the spirit of the event. Many renowned artists are proposing to make the art festival an international one where artists from all over the world can participate to  decentralise art locally.      

A grand exhibition opens today at 3pm at the festival venue Bhawal Mirzapur Haji Jamir Uddin School and College with a number of artworks produced in the art camp by several hundred artists from all over Bangladesh. Folk art and craft fair along with vibrant cultural programmes are happening everyday at the festival. 

 The festival is arranged in association with The Daily Star, Channel i, UNDP, UN WOMEN, JICA, Asrotex Group, Max Group and Berger.