Aishwarya Raihan

Contributing writer for Arts & Entertainment.

‘Wave-2’: Blurring the lines between paintings and photographs

The topographic beauty of Bangladesh owes a debt to its waterbodies. Being a delta embellished with rivers, natural canals, wetlands, lakes, swamps, ponds, and fountains that flow into the Bay of Bengal in the south, the beauty of our land knows no bounds. The spirit of water flows through the veins of Bangladeshi people and the survival of the entire nation revolves around the waterbodies. Thus, our way of life, livelihood, and pretty much everything is centred around water. These ever-familiar images of rural Bangladesh and its people are powerfully portrayed on artist Zannat Keya’s canvases.

6d ago

‘Satoborsher Dhaka’: A tribute to the evolution of our city

Artist Al-Akhir Sarker’s solo art exhibition “Satoborsher Dhaka” — a visual journal of our beloved Dhaka city and its transformation over the past few centuries — is underway at Bhumi Art Gallery in association with Shilpangan. Inaugurated yesterday, the ceremony was attended by the trustee of the Liberation War Museum and writer Mofidul Haque as the chief guest, and prominent architect Mustapha Khalid Palash as the special guest. The exhibition is dedicated to Foyez Ahmed, a Bikrampur-born legendary journalist, who grew up in Dhaka. Ahmed held onto the memoir of the city and its changes while becoming a pioneer of art galleries in Dhaka himself.

2w ago

‘Epic Journey of a Migratory Bird’: Yearning for a gentle world

Growing up, I have read plenty of fairy tales, imagining those storied multiverses vividly. The colours and textures I visualised and sensed while reading those tales existed only in my mind. That was until I entered Bhumi Art Gallery last Sunday — the venue where “Epic Journey of a Migratory Bird”, the second solo painting exhibition by Syed Golam Dastagir, is on display.

1m ago

‘Bindu’: A display of passion and devotion

Enakkhi Saha Roy, Ishrat Parveen Leena, and Ranjana Sayeed — a trio of visual artists driven by their love and passion for visual arts — are practicing artists whose second group exhibition, titled “Bindu”, is being hosted at Bhumi Art Gallery in Lalmatia. The inauguration event of the art exhibition took place on December 20, where painter Professor Emeritus Rafiqun Nabi graced the event as the chief guest. The exhibition was underway after the inaugural event consisting of performances of musicians from various genres.

1m ago

‘Rong Jeno Moar Maurme Lage’: The artistic grandeur of ‘Graphics Manik Dey’  

Most of the artworks currently adorning the walls of Gallery Chitrak were created between 2016 and 2024. The exhibition features 70 pieces, including acrylic, oil, and watercolour paintings, etchings, drawings, charcoal works, and some of his iconic graphic designs for BTV. 

1m ago

‘Body and the Map’: Stories of chaos, trauma, and scars through art

Reaching the 3rd level of Bengal Shilpalay, the first art piece greeting me in the lift lobby with its unique appearance was "Ria Moni", a tower constructed with children's toys. Created by Afsana Sharmin, this sculpture is a memorial for the six-year-old Riya Gope, who was shot dead on her apartment's rooftop during the Student Against Discrimination (SAD) Movement, leaving her family devastated. An intimidating installation with bamboo, sharp objects, water lilies, and severed doll parts is her way of visualising the movement. 

2m ago

‘Brishti-te Roder Kona’: A tribute to Kazi Abdul Baset

The name of the late legendary artist Kazi Abdul Baset stands strong among the intellectuals who contributed significantly to Bangladesh's artistic and cultural progress even before independence. In tribute to the drawings and paintings he created from the ‘60s to the ‘90s, a solo exhibition titled “Brishti-te Roder Kona” is currently being hosted at Bengal Shilpalay. The Bengal Arts Program has curated the exhibition.

2m ago

‘Bengal Bliss and Harmony’: Fragments of Bengal in Texas

The everlasting beauty of Bengal and her women, the past relics, and the present elements are currently assembled at Lone Star College Art Gallery, City of Tomball, Texas — creating a window from the USA, across the Atlantic, to Bangladesh. Tasnuva Rahman, a Bangladeshi-American visual artist has adorned the walls of the gallery with her heritage, memoir, and artistry for her second solo exhibition titled “Bengal Bliss and Harmony”. The event, curated by Jill Brumer, chair of the Fine Arts Department at Lone Star College and associate professor of Drama, is currently taking place in Texas.

2m ago
January 26, 2025
January 26, 2025

‘Wave-2’: Blurring the lines between paintings and photographs

The topographic beauty of Bangladesh owes a debt to its waterbodies. Being a delta embellished with rivers, natural canals, wetlands, lakes, swamps, ponds, and fountains that flow into the Bay of Bengal in the south, the beauty of our land knows no bounds. The spirit of water flows through the veins of Bangladeshi people and the survival of the entire nation revolves around the waterbodies. Thus, our way of life, livelihood, and pretty much everything is centred around water. These ever-familiar images of rural Bangladesh and its people are powerfully portrayed on artist Zannat Keya’s canvases.

January 18, 2025
January 18, 2025

‘Satoborsher Dhaka’: A tribute to the evolution of our city

Artist Al-Akhir Sarker’s solo art exhibition “Satoborsher Dhaka” — a visual journal of our beloved Dhaka city and its transformation over the past few centuries — is underway at Bhumi Art Gallery in association with Shilpangan. Inaugurated yesterday, the ceremony was attended by the trustee of the Liberation War Museum and writer Mofidul Haque as the chief guest, and prominent architect Mustapha Khalid Palash as the special guest. The exhibition is dedicated to Foyez Ahmed, a Bikrampur-born legendary journalist, who grew up in Dhaka. Ahmed held onto the memoir of the city and its changes while becoming a pioneer of art galleries in Dhaka himself.

January 1, 2025
January 1, 2025

‘Epic Journey of a Migratory Bird’: Yearning for a gentle world

Growing up, I have read plenty of fairy tales, imagining those storied multiverses vividly. The colours and textures I visualised and sensed while reading those tales existed only in my mind. That was until I entered Bhumi Art Gallery last Sunday — the venue where “Epic Journey of a Migratory Bird”, the second solo painting exhibition by Syed Golam Dastagir, is on display.

December 22, 2024
December 22, 2024

‘Bindu’: A display of passion and devotion

Enakkhi Saha Roy, Ishrat Parveen Leena, and Ranjana Sayeed — a trio of visual artists driven by their love and passion for visual arts — are practicing artists whose second group exhibition, titled “Bindu”, is being hosted at Bhumi Art Gallery in Lalmatia. The inauguration event of the art exhibition took place on December 20, where painter Professor Emeritus Rafiqun Nabi graced the event as the chief guest. The exhibition was underway after the inaugural event consisting of performances of musicians from various genres.

December 8, 2024
December 8, 2024

‘Rong Jeno Moar Maurme Lage’: The artistic grandeur of ‘Graphics Manik Dey’  

Most of the artworks currently adorning the walls of Gallery Chitrak were created between 2016 and 2024. The exhibition features 70 pieces, including acrylic, oil, and watercolour paintings, etchings, drawings, charcoal works, and some of his iconic graphic designs for BTV. 

November 26, 2024
November 26, 2024

‘Body and the Map’: Stories of chaos, trauma, and scars through art

Reaching the 3rd level of Bengal Shilpalay, the first art piece greeting me in the lift lobby with its unique appearance was "Ria Moni", a tower constructed with children's toys. Created by Afsana Sharmin, this sculpture is a memorial for the six-year-old Riya Gope, who was shot dead on her apartment's rooftop during the Student Against Discrimination (SAD) Movement, leaving her family devastated. An intimidating installation with bamboo, sharp objects, water lilies, and severed doll parts is her way of visualising the movement. 

November 21, 2024
November 21, 2024

‘Brishti-te Roder Kona’: A tribute to Kazi Abdul Baset

The name of the late legendary artist Kazi Abdul Baset stands strong among the intellectuals who contributed significantly to Bangladesh's artistic and cultural progress even before independence. In tribute to the drawings and paintings he created from the ‘60s to the ‘90s, a solo exhibition titled “Brishti-te Roder Kona” is currently being hosted at Bengal Shilpalay. The Bengal Arts Program has curated the exhibition.

November 18, 2024
November 18, 2024

‘Bengal Bliss and Harmony’: Fragments of Bengal in Texas

The everlasting beauty of Bengal and her women, the past relics, and the present elements are currently assembled at Lone Star College Art Gallery, City of Tomball, Texas — creating a window from the USA, across the Atlantic, to Bangladesh. Tasnuva Rahman, a Bangladeshi-American visual artist has adorned the walls of the gallery with her heritage, memoir, and artistry for her second solo exhibition titled “Bengal Bliss and Harmony”. The event, curated by Jill Brumer, chair of the Fine Arts Department at Lone Star College and associate professor of Drama, is currently taking place in Texas.

November 2, 2024
November 2, 2024

‘Peace Through Arts’: An artist’s path to tranquility

A versatile artist, SAM Showket Hossain, competent in landscapes, still lives, abstract paintings, line art, and floral paintings — all of which radiate undeniable charms — uses colors and subjects fanning out the peaceful essence of a Friday morning. His skills have the ability to draw the attention of artists and non-artists alike.

October 28, 2024
October 28, 2024

‘Echoes of Existence’: Ripon Saha’s intriguing world of art

Upon entering the gallery, the first drawing that intrigued me was that of a circle of infants with elongated heads. The artist through this drawing showed the immature extremism of people who blindly follow ideals without even questioning anything.