Art workshop and exhibition on Italian Contemporary Art Day

Marking the 15th Italian Contemporary Art Day (October 11), the Embassy of Italy in Dhaka, with the support of the Durjoy Bangladesh Foundation and Edge, The Foundation, organised the 15th Italian Contemporary Art Day with a painting workshop and exhibition shedding light on the current scene of the Italian Contemporary Art. The event was organised in collaboration with Lightbox, Venice.

Prominent Venice-based artist, David Dalla Venezia conducted a two-day painting workshop at the Department of Drawing and Painting, Faculty of Fine Art, University of Dhaka. The outcomes of the workshop will be on display at Edge Gallery, Gulshan-2 from October 10-12. David was seen conducting the workshop recently, where around 20 students of the department took part. Bangladeshi artists Sahid Kazi and Golam Faruque Swapan assisted in the workshop.

“It’s great to be here. The students are passionate about art,” said David Dalla Venezia, who taught the students a simple, yet amazing technique, portraying classic and neo classic painters like Diego Velázquez (Spain), Tintoretto (Italy) and Odd Nerdrum (Norwegian-Swedish) in their own styles.” I have used both cool and warm colours, so that their contrasting magic gives different kinds of effects. The limited colour pallet – black, red, yellow and white, along with a tinge of blue -- has historical aspects to depict portraits,” he added.

Photos: Kazi Salahuddin Razu

David was among the 11 international artists from South Asia and Europe who participated in the ‘Majhi International Art Residency Programme’ presented by Durjoy Bangladesh Foundation in Venice, Italy in July and August last year. 

Born in France and brought up in Venice, self-taught artist David Dalla Venezia been a part of the  Kitsch and Art movement, thanks to his nourishment into an artistic family. His works reflect both antiquity and modernity. His vision of the world, and the imagery of his paintings, are nurtured by the great classical and ancient figurative traditions. 

The Italian Contemporary Art Day is organised annually by the Association of the Italian Museums of Contemporary Art (AMACI) in collaboration with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities to bring the art of the era to the general public.

This is a multiform programme that, year after year, has given the general public an opportunity to experience from up close the complex and lively world of contemporary art. The Daily Star and Maasranga Television are partners of the event.