Painter Shameem Subrana's first solo exhibition “What I Talk About When I Talk About Life” will open today (January 9) at Gallery Twenty One, Dhanmondi.

Professor Hashem Khan; Professor Rafiqun Nabi; Professor Nisar Hossain; Sultana Kamal, executive director of Ain o Salish Kendra, and Matiur Rahman, editor of The Daily Prothom Alo will inaugurate the exhibition as guests of honour at 5:30pm.

All proceeds from the exhibition will be donated to Shabab Murshid Development Foundation (SMDF) -- a non-profit organisation dedicated to child and youth development.

Shameem Subrana's paintings tell seemingly unrelated stories that collectively present a continuum -- the story of life. The artist's work represents social problems of the modern world, including child marriage, migration, social movements, climate change, and many such burning issues -- in an effort to not just raise awareness but also to encourage some of the debates that surround these notions.

Subrana's journey as an artist began at an early age. Her interest in looking at the world with an artistic vision propelled her to become a student of painting, first at Chittagong Art College and later at Dhaka University, where she obtained both her Bachelor and Master degrees in Fine Arts.

The exhibition will remain open from January 9-31, from 12 to 8pm.