Bangladesh Art Week (BAW) launched three distinct yet correlated exhibitions, "Connection", "I•D•E•N•T•I•T•Y WHO ARE YOU....TODAY?", and "Undefined Territory" in Dubai, which will be on display till November in Dubai.

BAW's first-ever Dubai edition exhibitions features internationally renowned and reputed artists alongside invited younger artists.

"I feel honoured to be able to represent Bangladesh internationally," says Niharika Momtaz, Founder, BAW. "This is a big step towards setting the international stage for our artists."

The exhibitions showcase a variety of sculptures, photographs, mixed media constructions, site-specific installations, works on paper, and film presentations.

BAW members have exhibited in prestigious events such as Venice Biennale, Documenta, Victoria & Albert Museum, Arnhem Museum, Solomon R. Guggenheim, Sharjah Biennale, Kettle's Yard, Frieze performance, India Art Fair, Dhaka Art Summit, and some of the members are represented by galleries internationally like project88, Exhibit320.

"Connection" is a Creative Residency Programme (CRP) of BAW, established in 2021 associated with Foundry.  CRP provides a self-curated and directed programme that honours the creative process and trusts individuals to know what they need to cultivate their talent.

"Connection" allows the artist to spend two to three weeks in any country other than Bangladesh, in a private studio to explore their creativity and focus on their art.  "The programme aims to give the artists international exposure," added Niharika Momtaz. "It is a firm step to restoring the value and recognition for all Bangladeshi artists."

The event "Connection" took the famed Bangladeshi visual artist Zihan Karim in the CRP from September 9  to 23 , featuring his video installations; "Parallel Expansion", "Aqua", "Eclipse", "Approximate Macrocosm", "Planet", and "U.M.O".  Zihan's artworks are displayed in the Room Art space of Foundry from 20 September till 20 November 2021 from 10 am to 10 pm.

The second event, "I•D•E•N•T•I•T•Y WHO ARE YOU....TODAY?" is being held at Foundry Gallery 5 from 20 September to 20 November featuring the renowned Bangladeshi artists; Tayeba Begum Lipi, Yasmin Jahan Nupur, and Ashfika Rahman whose arts explore self, personal identity, insecurities, and universal role.

"Talking about a female's personal items like bags, shoes, and nighties are considered a social stigma," explains artist Tayeba Begum Lipi. "But a female's body is also extremely personal, abusing or male gazing on it should also be the same."

The exhibition "Undefined Territory" was inaugurated by Mohammed Abu Zafar, ambassador of the United Arab Emirates & Permanent Representative to IRENA, along with the founder of Alserkal Foundation, Abdelmonem Alserkal, the director of Fine Arts department, Dubai Culture, Khalil Abdulwahid as well as the director of Goethe Institute, Fareed Majari.

BAW in association with Gulf Photo Plus is featuring vibrant and acclaimed Bangladeshi artists; Shumon Ahmed, Palash Bhattacharjee, Marzia Farhana, Shahria Sharmin, and Munem Wasif.

Seeking to untangle the notions of 'territory', their arts speaks of the 'undefined territories' as the observer throughout the passage of time, watching political changes, interpersonal relationships, discrimination, identity, and so on. "I was interested in the nature of borders," smiles Munem Wasif. "Who constructs them? Are they innocent constructions? How are they broken and replaced?"

"I think these are important questions that I have tried to express through my art," smiles artist Munem Wasif. "These photographs explore the people's political relationship to the land and the effects of aggressive industrialization."

Niharika Momtaz further shared her thoughts on their exhibitions. "We are talking to multiple galleries, urging them to represent Bangladeshi artists," she says. "This can be a game-changer for artists, opening numerous new doors for them."

The author is a freelance journalist. Email: akhlakurrahmancharles@gmail.com.