Around the mid-2000s, a young Munem Wasif, with his rickety Soviet-era Zenit camera, found himself indulging in the allures of the older parts of Dhaka. Infinite lived experiences and thousands of shutter counts later, his first magnum opus, “Belonging”, came to life in 2012. This photo book became one of the most revered photographic bodies of work in Bangladesh’s visual art history.
Playing intricately groovy bass lines while effortlessly singing in tune with his ethereal voice at the same time, often clad in his signature hat and always well-fashioned both on and off stage, Shafin Ahmed was an epitome of showmanship. The artiste was a larger-than-life persona not only in the history of Bangla rock music but also in the history of Bangladeshi art, regardless of mediums.
Currently on display at Kala Kendra in Dhaka, “Liminal Horizon” is a solo exhibition by artist Sanad Biswas that explores the concept of transitional spaces, blurring the lines between the tangible and the intangible. Through an enticing collection of sculptures, the exhibition explores themes of liminality where the familiar dissolves into the unknown. As one of the most striking sculpture showcases in Dhaka’s post-pandemic art scene, “Liminal Horizon” stands out for its thought-provoking approach and the way it redefines spatial perception.
On a show featuring a stellar lineup, which included the epitomes of '90s Bangla rock — Miles, Nagar Baul, Ark, and Dalchhut — alongside Drockstar Shuvo and the prodigious Oni Hasan, with Jon Kabir, Jamshed Chowdhury, and Kazi Zohad Yazdani, perhaps the most delightful scene was seeing a notable number of attendees who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s.
The essence of the events Bangladesh witnessed during the student-led mass uprising in July and August, which escalated into a bloodied revolution, ultimately toppling the regime of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and giving rise to what we now call a new Bangladesh, is truly inexplicable.
The new Bangladesh achieved through the student-led and bloodied revolution in July-August is witnessing the most devastating flood crisis in recent collective memory. However, people from all walks of life promptly responded, collaborating for aid and rescue missions.
In the wake of two triumphant editions, the third edition of the exhibition of the principal local event celebrating the practice of photojournalism in the country, the “Bangladesh Press Photo Contest 2024”, lifted its curtains yesterday. While the exhibition is taking place on the second floor, the inaugural event took place in the house-full eighth-floor gallery of the capital's DrikPath Bhobon.
The show “Guitar Clinic With Oni Hasan” meticulously organised by Mavix Global at the Liberation War Museum auditorium last Thursday (May 16) featured musical maestros like Mizan Rahman and Ershad Zaman. The event was a rather dreamlike affair — especially for the up-and-coming guitar enthusiasts amongst the audience inside the venue.
In recent memory, 2022 has been quite the bustling year for the Bangladeshi music scene.
“Metal Up Your Ass”, organised by Get Amped Series, took place this Saturday at Event Station in Jamuna Future Park. The show was not merely another addition to the list of shows in our annual concert season. Rather, for musicians and fans, the full-on metal show was almost a trip down memory lane, to the days of RCC (Russian Cultural Centre).
Saadul Islam is the amazing guitar player from Coke Studio Bangla. However, his guitar licks on “Nasek Nasek”, “Bhober Pagol” and “Chiltey Roud” are but small glimpses into the artiste that he is.
In the post-pandemic era, Dhaka has been witnessing vibrant exhibitions and concerts, ones where the youth particularly flock to. In major concerts, especially ones in the city, it is a delightful experience to see young and fresh faces fill the large capacity venues. “Headbangers Paradise 2”, which took place this Friday, was not any different.
“I was raised by a single mother. Dealing with the excruciating pain of losing her first child and years later her beloved husband, my mother who is a social worker, gracefully raised all three of us whilst having all the qualities that are generally associated with what it means to be a man. Does that mean my mother is masculine?” -- said Ashfika Rahman inquired during his opening remarks at the at the inauguration of the exhibition, “Let No One Mistake Us for The Fruit of Violence”.
“The show was abruptly planned. Initially, we had plans to organize the show at the end of this year, but our bassist Moushum Dhamai, is leaving for the USA next month,” said Rudan Al Amin, the band manager for Karnival & also CEO of Dhaka Broadcast.
