The fourth edition of Dhaka Art Summit began at the National Art Gallery of the Shilpakala Academy yesterday.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith inaugurated the nine-day grand art festival as chief guest.

“Appreciating art is something that has become our way of culture…. In the next nine days, there will be a grand celebration of diverse arts that will give us proper essence of life and time,” he said.

Over 300 artists from 35 countries are showcasing their varied arts and architectural designs. About 120 speakers are participating in 16 panel discussions and two symposiums.

Led by chief curator Diana Campbell Betancourt, nine local and international guest curators are unlocking new areas of inquiry into collaborative group exhibitions of paintings, prints, photographs and sculptures along with new media works like installations, video art, and a rich and diverse performance programmes.

“Bangladesh has its own history and identity and we would like to look at and orient Bangladesh from the voices of Bangladeshis. Many special arrangements are here. I really want to look at plurality and celebrate the heterogeneity,” said Diana Campbell Betancourt.    

Other initiatives of the summit include Samdani Art and Architecture Awards, critical writing ensemble, film screening, educational pavilion, workshop and more.

The glorious presence of Bangladeshi arts and architectural designs -- be it classical, contemporary and folk, have their distinctive and prominent projections.

Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor and Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu were present at the opening.

Farooq Sobhan, chairman of the organising committee of Dhaka Art Summit; Liquat Ali Lucky, director general of Shilpakala; and Nadia Samdani, director of Dhaka Art Summit, spoke at the inaugural event.