After a hectic day at work, I found myself rushing to Gallery Chitrak last Sunday evening to indulge in “Nandonpot”, a group art exhibition inaugurated on the day of the summer solstice (June 21). I could hardly control my excitement before entering the gallery, and like most of the time, I was not disappointed. “Nandonpot” is a visual group art exhibition displaying artworks by artists from various generations. Notably, Eminent artist Professor Hamiduzzaman Khan, art critic Moinuddin Khaled, and Country Chief Risk Officer Mohammad Enamul Haque of Standard Chartered Bank, attended the opening ceremony as guests.
Drik Gallery today wrapped up an exhibition on the emergence and evolution of child care facilities in Bangladesh through the photography of Md Rakibul Hasan. In collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS), the exhibition “Keeping Childcare in Picture” intends to inform the masses and create awareness about the necessity and nature of child care facilities in our country.
“O Death O Dance”, a solo visual art exhibition displaying artist Mobassir Alam Mazumder's compositions, is as mystical and beautiful as its name. During its inauguration on May 6 at the Bishwo Shahitto Kendro Art Gallery, veteran painter and Professor Emeritus Rafiqun Nabi graced the event as the chief guest. Artist and writer Professor Abul Mansur and art critic Syed Azizul Haque also attended the ceremony as speakers. Following the affectionate speeches from the guests, Prof Nabi declared the exhibition to be open for visitors.
Dwip Gallery in Lalmatia opened its doors to the second exhibition of its kind, “Miniscope 2”, on April 26. Flaunting creative gateways for diverse artists from both Bangladesh and India, it is currently hosting miniature and endearing artworks.
When I was merely three, my mother, being a history major and a sibling to freedom fighters, took it upon herself to ingrain the Liberation War and the birth of Bangladesh into my mind. As a result, I grew up learning about “Shangshaptak”, the legendary sculpture representing the spirit of our Liberation War, by the renowned sculptor Hamiduzzaman Khan. I felt like I had hit the jackpot when I got the opportunity to meet him and learn from him during my third semester of the Bachelor of Architecture (BArch) programme. Finally, 11 years later, I experienced an exhibition dedicated entirely to him.
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.
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.
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.
Papa Nurunnahar Kazi, a name resonating with artistic versatility, celebrates 50 years of her creative journey with “Ami Ek Jajabor” (The Wanderer). Recently inaugurated at the Safiuddin Gallery in Dhanmondi, the exhibition showcases 57 captivating artworks, each reflecting Papa's diverse talents. From vibrant renditions of wildlife to thought-provoking political commentaries, Papa's oeuvre reflects a lifetime of exploration and innovation.
Earlier on February 2, the Greater Columbus Arts Council (GCAC) in Ohio, USA, unveiled a captivating exhibition titled "Art of Bangladesh". Curated by Dina Zaman, a graduate of the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka, this exhibition promises to be a celebration of Bangladeshi art and culture, captivating audiences for three months with a diverse collection of creativity.
The inauguration of “Metropolitan Melodies”, the second solo art exhibition by artist Biplab Biprodas took place in the gallery of Art Bangla Foundation on March 1. The ceremony was graced by the presence of renowned artist Prof Rashid Amin, chairperson of the Department of Printmaking at Jagannath University as the main guest.
The inauguration of “Inward Gaze”, the first solo art exhibition of Syeda Asma Akber took place at the capital’s Gallery Chitrak, Dhanmondi yesterday (February 24). The event was graced by the presence of cartoonist Professor Rafiqun Nabi as the chairperson, famous artist Monirul Islam and Professor Nisar Hossain, Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Dhaka as special guests.
Shilpangan, a contemporary art gallery in the capital held the opening ceremony of “Kauthopokauthon”, the fourth solo exhibition by artist Samar Majumder on February 16. The event was inaugurated by the writer, researcher, and trustee of the Liberation Museum, Mofidul Hoque. Writer and art critic, Prof Moinuddin Khaled attended the event as the special guest. Following the cordial speeches regarding the artist, the exhibition was initiated.
"Duality" is an artistic collaboration between Salma Zakia Bristy and her son, Mashrafi Aveen. Each mother shares a unique story with her child, and Bristy is no exception. A visual artist and mother of two, her younger son Aveen has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) with ADHD personality traits, as diagnosed by doctors when he was 18 months old.
One winter evening in January, I found myself at the Kala Kendra Gallery in Lalmatia, Dhaka. Currently hosting a group art exhibition, Kala Kendra presents “Jogsutro”, featuring 15 Bangladeshi artists who have returned after completing their studies at Rabindra Bharati University.
The group art exhibition, titled “Breath”, has recently featured 17 core artists and four guest artists from across the country. As part of the collective journey, the Art Bangla Foundation gallery has been adorned with colourful paintings by the talented artists, most of which are smaller in size and painted with acrylic colours.
At Alliance Francaise de Dhaka (AFD), a gallery brims with the seamless integration of poetry and paintings, each element complementing the other in a harmonious blend. One can easily get lost in the artistic world that Reza Asad Al Huda Anupam has created for his second solo exhibition “Poetrimage”, the opening of which took place at AFD yesterday.
Bengal Shilpalay inaugurated "Quarantine", a solo art exhibition by Mahbubur Rahman, on October 13. The entire gallery has been internally reconfigured to captivate visitors. It features partitions that divide the space for different types of art.
