‘The Scent of Time’ marks Italian Contemporary Art Day in Dhaka

Celebrating the 15th Italian Contemporary Art Day, The Scent of Time, an exclusive art exhibition is underway at Edge Gallery, Gulshan-2. The three-day exhibition is organised by Embassy of Italy in Dhaka, supported by the Durjoy Bangladesh Foundation (DBF) and Edge The Foundation, in collaboration with Lightbox, Venice.

Italian and Bangladeshi artists, who participated in art workshops, reflecting upon the current situation of Italian Contemporary Art are exhibiting their works at the event.

Italian Ambassador to Bangladesh Enrico Nunziata, Joint Secretary to the Ministry of Cultural Affairs Ajit Kumar Debnath, art collector and promoter Durjoy Rahman Joy, curator Caterina Corni and Mahua Khan, Trustee, Edge The Foundation, were present.“The 15th Italian Contemporary Art day event, hosted by Embassy of Italy in Dhaka, helped our foundation to engage with the previous participants of Venetian artists. Their art engagement in Bangladesh will help enhance the understanding between both the countries, especially their culture,” said Durjoy Rahman Joy, the founder of DBF. 

The Scent of Time features four Italian artists, David Dalla Venezia, Cosima Montavoci, Andrea Morucchio, and Chiara Tubia, for the first time in Dhaka. The exhibition is curated by Caterina Corni, with the Bangladeshi artists, Dilara Begum Jolly, Dhali Al Mamoon, Kamruzzaman Shadhin and Noor Ahmed Gelal.

An art-talk titled, ‘Italy-Bangladesh interaction in Contemporary Visual Arts’, was held yesterday at Edge Gallery. Prominent art critic and historian Professor Abul Monsur spoke during the session.

Highlights of the programme also included an art workshop by artist David Dalla Venezia at the Faculty of Fine Art, University of Dhaka, along with a studio visit by artist Cosima Montavoci and an off-site intervention by artist Chiara Tubia.

Curator Caterina Corni defines the initiative as a journey through eight artists, an experience revealing their diverse approaches to the world. The artists’ researches are conveyed through different artistic media, from installation to photography, painting and drawing.

In their works, these artists subtly and consciously combine elements from different traditions, creating unique artistic outputs which transcend any existing boundary.

Coordinated by Caterina Corni, the selected artists already met and worked together in Venice on the occasion of the first Majhi International Art Residence, promoted by DBF, in collaboration with Lightbox. The residency, held from July 20 to August 3 this year, was followed by a group show from August 3 to August 12. Eleven artists, six from Bangladesh, four from Venice and one from Berlin, participated in the event.

This event is annually organised by the Association of the Italian Museums of Contemporary Art (AMACI), in collaboration with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities, to introduce the general public to contemporary art.The exhibition concludes today at 8pm.