arts-culture
Joy Bangla Concert 2024 promises special arrangement for women
In a move towards inclusivity, the Joy Bangla Concert 2024 has announced special arrangements to accommodate female attendees. Young Bangla, through its verified Facebook page, revealed that dedicated entrances and spaces will be reserved exclusively for women. “Join us for an unforgettable evening of music and camaraderie,” beckons the announcement, highlighting the concert’s commitment to a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere.
Scheduled to take place at the MA Aziz Stadium in Chattogram, this year’s event marks a significant departure from tradition, being the first time the concert is held outside the capital city, Dhaka. This strategic shift not only broadens the geographical appeal of the event but also pays homage to the historical essence of Bangladesh’s struggle for independence, invoking the spirit of Bangabandhu’s iconic March 7 speech.
Art Therapy through Printmaking’: Gallery Cosmos’s unique offering at Dhaka Flow’s wellness festival
Since its inception in 2015 by the Centre for Research and Information (CRI), the Joy Bangla Concert has evolved into a cornerstone of cultural celebrations, particularly among the youth. After pausing due to the global pandemic, the concert made a roaring comeback in 2023, continuing to honour the legacy of the 1971 Liberation War. The event stands out for its unique blend of musical entertainment and historical reflection, creating a deeply resonant experience for attendees.
The 2024 edition promises to be a grand musical fiesta, featuring performances from a mix of popular and emerging rock bands. The line-up, as announced by Young Bangla, includes fan favourites such as Artcell, Cryptic Fate, Avoid Rafa, Nemesis, Chirkutt, Meghdol, Lalon, the local sensation Tirondaz from Chattogram, and Carnival. These acts are set to electrify the stage, celebrating the rich musical heritage of Bangladesh and inspiring a new generation with the indomitable spirit of its people.
Read more: Most-hyped Bollywood Movies Releasing on March 2024
Art Therapy through Printmaking’: Gallery Cosmos’s unique offering at Dhaka Flow’s wellness festival
Gallery Cosmos, the artistic wing of Cosmos Foundation, is hosting a unique, interactive segment titled “Art Therapy through Printmaking” at “Inspire Her Wellness” by Dhaka Flow, a pioneering yoga and wellness festival.
The festival — to be held on March 8-9 at the Baridhara Society Lakeside Park in Dhaka — will commemorate International Women's Day 2024, while “Art Therapy through Printmaking” will celebrate the power of creative expression in healing through art.
Eminent and pioneering printmaking artist Professor Rokeya Sultana will conduct a live printmaking session and workshop at the Creative Playground for the attendees. Besides, young artist Surovi Akter will be drawing caricatures live at the event.
‘The Black Story’ exhibition by Gallery Cosmos launched virtually
The workshop and printmaking session will be held on both days - Friday, March 8 at 11:30 am and Saturday, March 9 at 11:00 am.
In addition, the Gallery Cosmos Pavilion will be featuring 20 promising young visual artists and printmakers, showcasing a total of 35 artworks as part of its ongoing commitment to promote the country’s emerging talent by highlighting the work of these talented female artists.
With a large number of visitors expected to join and explore the art fair, Gallery Cosmos aims to provide a platform for these young Bangladeshi artists to gain recognition and appreciation on a global scale. The festival-goers can purchase their artwork from the gallery at the festival.
Nasrin Jahan Onika's maiden solo exhibition ‘Home’ begins at AFD
Art therapy has long been recognised for its capacity to unlock emotional expression and foster healing. It serves as a non-verbal communication channel that allows individuals to explore their deepest thoughts and feelings.
Women have been pivotal in the art world, yet their representation has not always been proportional to their talent. This event is dedicated to promoting women artists who do more than just fill a gallery; they shatter glass ceilings and pave the way for the next generation of female creators. They challenge societal norms, question the status quo, and, most importantly, offer a rich narrative with diverse female perspectives.
The Black Story webinar sheds spotlight on ‘Dismantling Anti-Blackness in South Asia and the Diaspora’
Women’s entrepreneurship in the art world is a burgeoning force. Female artists are not just creators but innovators and business leaders.
One of these pioneering women entrepreneurs is Nahar Khan, a writer, curator, and patron of the arts who is currently serving as the Executive Director at the Gallery Cosmos and the Cosmos Foundation. In addition, Nahar Khan also currently serves as Director at United News of Bangladesh (UNB) and Vice President of the Cosmos Group.
An enthusiast of Arts and Culture who is keen on working towards inclusive curatorial practices and curatorial activism to challenge assumptions, hegemony, and heterocentrism while sparking meaningful discourse around social, racial, and political issues, Nahar Khan is especially devoted to the cultural and historical exchanges between communities.
‘Amar Dekha Noya Chin’: Bangabandhu’s formative journey in a travelogue-style graphic novel
Gallery Cosmos garnered widespread recognition from the international creative community for many of its artistic endeavours. Among these endeavours was the series of intellectual and artistic interventions for “The Black Story” project, an interactive virtual exhibition conceived and curated by Nahar Khan during the COVID-19 pandemic.
She also works with differently-abled children in the art space and holds several art events and workshops for them, alongside the regular artistic ventures of the gallery in order to foster the country’s glorious art and culture.
Kicking off this Friday at 10 am with an opening ceremony by Dhaka Flow co-founder and esteemed yogini, Shazia Omar, the “Inspire Her Wellness” festival is scheduled to host a wide range of workshops and classes, originating and concluding at Baridhara Society Lake Park on March 8-9.
UNB is the media partner of the festival.
Yoga a gift of India to world: Pranay Verma
Nasrin Jahan Onika's maiden solo exhibition ‘Home’ begins at AFD
The first solo exhibition of young artist Nasrin Jahan Onika titled ‘Home’ has begun on Friday at La Galerie of Alliance Française de Dhaka, Dhanmondi in the capital.
Eminent artist Monirul Islam, renowned art critic Moinuddin Khaled and Zareen Mahmud Hosein, Director of Shasha Denims Limited, attended the inauguration event as special guests.
Onika has studied under legendary painter Monirul Islam and volunteered at Studio Kala Kendra. A graduate of the Department of Printmaking at University of Development Alternative, she celebrates all that is home — habit, routine, tediousness, safety, sanctuary and also confinement.
Read: ‘Amar Dekha Noya Chin’: Bangabandhu’s formative journey in a travelogue-style graphic novel
It is a diary of the unremarkable and ordinariness of her existence and of the spaces that she inhabits. While Onika’s perspective is self-referential, she is looking creatively and critically at the world through herself, according to AFD.
The objects are hard to make out, the perspectives are skewed, and there is a strange feeling of incomplete recognition. This must be how people see when come into the world, before dimension, definition, take shape and people begin to use cache memory instead of seeing.
The exhibition consists of works on paper, canvas as well as clay pots and wood. This cataloging of the everyday is graphic and lyrical, and while Onika has tried very hard to make the writing on her canvas escryptic (writing upside down and backwards in a tiny script), she comes across clear as day.
In her art there is a grand desire to find home and belonging in oneself, in others, and in familiar objects. And there is also an awareness that those everyday things are also quite strange, and if you look at them long enough, they lead to unfamiliar doorways and realities.
"These are conditions that grant us the peace to be. For we are not here forever, not for so long at all. And while we are here, it helps to feel at home, in our skin, in our rooms, in our world, so we can love it all, with our attention," the artist said.
The exhibition will be open to all till March 12.
Ritwik Ghatak remembered on his birth centenary
Speakers at a seminar on Wednesday commemorated iconic Bangla filmmaker Ritwik Kumar Ghatak, renowned for his transformative contributions to reshaping the course of Bangla cinema history.
As part of the 4th Cinemaking International Film Festival (CIFF), Megh Foundation arranged the seminar at its office near the Bachelor Gate of Jahangirnagar University, marking the birth centenary of Ritwik Ghatak.
Indian film director Sayak Mukherjee, CIFF jury board member and senior journalist Abdur Rahman Jahangir and CIFF jury board member and actor Shamim Saikot, among others, spoke at the seminar with CIFF founder and film director Monjurul Islam Megh in the chair.
CIFF jury board member and writer Renat Sultana presented the keynote paper at the seminar moderated by Tohura Akter Tuli.
Sayak Mukherjee discussed various aspects of Ritwik Kumar Ghatak's films and his contributions to transforming Bangla films.
He highlighted how Ritwik Ghatak depicted the harsh realities of socio-economic struggles in films like "Titash Ekti Nadir Naam," "Ajantrik," "Nagarik," "Runaway," "Reason, Debate and a Story," showcasing the mastery of film language required to accomplish such a feat
The Indian film director expressed admiration for the CIFF, stating that it has gained global recognition in Bangladesh.
Abdur Rahman Jahangir praised the CIFF for representing the country internationally, saying although the festival began as an individual initiative, it is now recognised worldwide.
“As a member of the jury board, I reviewed wonderful movies from different countries. But the Bangladeshi audiences are deprived of watching these movies due to censor board’s restriction,” he said.
CIFF founder and film director Monjurul Islam Megh said CIFF has achieved recognition as one of Asia's premier international film festivals. “This is the fourth edition of our festival. Through impartial jury decisions, we present awards and honour films at our festival.”
“We strive to promote our festival globally with integrity. Our 4th edition features 351 films from 76 countries,” he said.
Despite organising such a grand event, Megh said they do not get any assistance from the government and the censorship imposed on films hinders Bangladeshi audiences from experiencing quality cinema.
Since February 16th, the 4th International Film Festival has been taking place online. Jury board members have been reviewing 351 films from 76 countries to nominate the best films and directors in various categories for awards. The awards ceremony will be held in Dhaka as part of a grand event.
‘Amar Dekha Noya Chin’: Bangabandhu’s formative journey in a travelogue-style graphic novel
In an innovative blend of art and history, the graphic novel “Amar Dekha Noya China” (The New China as I Saw) vividly portrays the myriad challenges faced by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh’s founding father. Radwan Mujib Siddiq, a trustee of the Centre for Research and Information (CRI) and Bangabandhu’s grandson, shared insights into the graphic novel, revealing how it captures the relentless hurdles encountered by the Father of the Nation.
During an interview for a documentary, Radwan Mujib highlighted the struggles of conveying information to the tech-savvy younger generation and how the graphic novel bridges this gap by speaking their language. He reminisced about his childhood curiosity regarding the lack of comics about his grandfather, which planted the seed for this project. As an adult, seizing the opportunity presented by working on Bangabandhu’s unfinished autobiography, he proposed creating a graphic novel to his mother and aunt, who gave their blessing.
Art exhibition titled 'Life with Canvas' begins at Bishwo Shahitto Kendro
Radwan Mujib emphasized that the novel depicts Bangabandhu in situations rarely imagined by the public, such as contemplating mundane concerns like passport whereabouts, travel logistics, and ill-fitting suits after losing weight in jail. This humanizing portrayal offers a fresh perspective on the national leader’s life.
Boi Mela extended by two days
Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2024 has been extended by two days beyond the scheduled time.
Director general of Bangla Academy, Muhammad Nurul Huda announced this on Tuesday evening.
Holidays are for the kids at Boi Mela; sales surge, and catching Sisimpur live
He said, "The Book Fair has been extended by two days following the the kind consent of the prime minister."
Earlier, Secretary of the Ministry of Culture Khalil Ahmad told media, "Today the prime minister has approved the extension of the fair by two days. We are informing the fair management committee about it now. They will make an announcement on the mike of the fair and the official notification will be issued tomorrow."
Ekushey Boi Mela sees rising visitor numbers but mixed sales
As per the declaration, the fair will be wrapped up on March 2.
On the eve of Boi Mela, publishers expecting bumper month
Photography exhibition 'Contemplation' opens at AFD
'Contemplation', an exhibition by students of Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD)'s photography workshop coordinated by Abir Abdullah, has opened at La Galerie, Alliance Française de Dhaka.
The opening of the exhibition was held on Saturday, February 24 in the presence of Manzarehassin Murad, filmmaker; Saif Ul Haque, Principal, Saif Ul Haque Sthapati; Tushar Abdullah, Editor, Ekhon TV and Shabnam Ferdousi, filmmaker.
A group of 15 participants from diverse backgrounds attended a photography course conducted by internationally renowned photographer, Abir Abdullah, at the Alliance Francaise de Dhaka.
Art exhibition titled 'Life with Canvas' begins at Bishwo Shahitto Kendro
Upon completing the course, they are ready to showcase their 15 photo stories (150 photos) titled 'Contemplation’- on various topics, including contemporary social issues, stories of marginalized communities, self-reflection, climate issues, and more.
Each photographer has chosen a personally significant topic to them and will display their unique abilities in capturing images.
‘My Language My Pride’: Curtain falls on international group art exhibition
The participant are Md Ala Uddin, Prashanta Hridoy, Asif Iqbal Swopneel, Pathanjada Sher E Zulfiker, Asif Musaddeque, Raiyan Islam (Kaiko), Iqbal Hossain, Rubel Karmaker, Jahid Apu, Saiful Islam, Jayanta Saha Joy, Suvro Paul, Kazi Tanvir Ahmed, Silvia Rovelli and Asfaque Ahmed.
The exhibition will be open to all till Wednesday, February 28, every day from 3 pm to 9 pm.
Art exhibition titled 'Life with Canvas' begins at Bishwo Shahitto Kendro
The art exhibition titled "Life with Canvas" began in the capital's Bishwo Shahitto Kendro on Friday.
Organised by the event management firm Black N Orange, renowned cartoonist and writer Ahsan Habib opened the exhibition at 4pm, according to a media statement.
‘My Language My Pride’: Curtain falls on international group art exhibition
Mahfuz Canvas, an art organisation based in Bangladesh, held a three-day international group art exhibition, titled "My Language, My Pride" at Dhanmondi's Safiuddin Shilpalay from February 19 to 21, commemorating the spirit of International Mother Language Day.
The exhibition featured works by 75 Bangladeshi and 16 international artists representing various nationalities, including India, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Syria, the Philippines, Iran, Lebanon, Egypt, Italy, Canada, and Pakistan.
Exhibition of Japanese Dolls “NINGYŌ- Art and Beauty of Japanese Dolls’’ to be held in Dhaka February 2
Professor Mohammad Eunus, artist and Chairman of the Art Bangla Foundation, inaugurated the exhibition on February 19. Md Muniruzzaman, painter and Executive Director of Gallery Chitrak, joined as the special guest, while artist and art critic Zahid Mustafa joined the event as the guest of honour.
"Our mission at Mahfuz Canvas is to empower and uplift self-taught Bangladeshi artists, ensuring they receive equitable opportunities to showcase their talents on a global scale," said Mahfuzur Rahman, founder of Mahfuz Canvas.
“My Food, My City” exhibition inaugurated in Dhaka
"Through our online community, 'Obscure Artists,' established in 2018, we have cultivated a thriving network of 150,000 dedicated members. With Mahfuz Canvas, we aspire to further foster the growth and development of these exceptionally talented artists,” he added.
Mahfuz Canvas serves as a dedicated platform for underprivileged, self-taught Bangladeshi artists, offering them a unique opportunity to garner national and international acclaim.
CEMS-Global USA’s series of exhibitions kicks off Thursday
Since its inception, Mahfuz Canvas has organised 15 international exhibitions in UAE, Qatar, India, US along with sponsoring over 15 art exhibitions and events.
These initiatives have earned widespread recognition and admiration within the global art community, solidifying Mahfuz Canvas as a prestigious platform for artists to showcase their exceptional talents.
‘Learning from Old Dhaka’: Nasrul Hamid and French Ambassador inaugurate cultural showcase
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid together with French Ambassador to Bangladesh Marie Masdupuy on Wednesday evening opened an exhibition, titled “Learning from Old Dhaka: Exploring the Future of Living Traditions.”
Alliance Francaise de Dhaka and Hamidur Rahman Cultural Centre in Zinzira, Keraniganj jointly hosted the exhibition.
At the beginning, the French Ambassador paid tribute to the martyrs of the Language Movement marking the International Mother Language Day.
She wholeheartedly thanked State Minister Nasrul Hamid for hosting the beautiful exhibition at Hamidur Rahman Cultural Center which she visited for the first time.
Ambassador Masdupuy recalled renowned architect Marina Tabassum who designed the Cultural Centre.
“This exhibition is the result of a yearlong project launched by Alliance Française of Dhaka in cooperation with architecture students coming notably from France (École de la Villette) and Bangladesh (BUET), showcasing the very rich and peculiar history of Puran Dhaka (Old Dhaka) through its architecture and the life and activity around the Buriganga,” she said.
“It's here also that Farashganj is located, the old French merchants’ settlement, and also where the ancestors of the state minister established themselves three hundred years ago," the Ambassador said.
She concluded by applauding the two French artists who showed them an extraordinary performance with a group of Buriganga coolies about all the industrial and handicraft landscape in Zinzira.
Zinzira, nestled on the southern fringes of Dhaka by the Buriganga River, is known for its small industries that serve as the city's backbone. This exhibition not only celebrates the architectural and cultural heritage of Old Dhaka but also fosters a dialogue between the past and the present, showcasing the potential for traditional practices to inform future urban living.
The two-week-long architectural exhibition will continue till March 10 at Hamidur Rahman Cultural Centre of Keraniganj.
State Minister Nasrul Hamid said the topics they explored were the endangered heritage of Old Dhaka, circular economy, urban agriculture, public space allocation systems and the corporate culture of Old Dhaka.
He also said their excellent work will help Bangladeshi architects understand heritage of Dhaka better and use these as reference.
The exhibition is the outcome of a two-week architectural research study by a group of architecture students from the universities of ENSA, Paris la Villette; BUET, Dhaka; BVCOA, Navi Mumbai; C.A.T., Trivandrum; and Mokpo University, South Korea.
They split into several working groups to investigate endangered heritage, circular economy, urban agriculture, innovation as part of traditional activities, informal sectors, public space distribution, and corporate culture in Puran Dhaka (Old Dhaka).
Amid its rapid growth, Dhaka risks losing its architectural and living heritage.
An intricate relationship exists between Puran Dhaka and the river Buriganga, and this field workshop will explore this relationship and highlight the various aspects of living heritage still thriving in the old labyrinths of the city.
A team of 44 students and 12 mentors worked together to map and document these aspects of the old city.
Organisers say the study encompasses various elements, including the evolution of Bara Katra from a residential area in Mughal times to an economic hub for the neighbourhood, albeit losing its original purpose.
It explores the hierarchy of public open spaces in the Armanitola neighbourhood and delves into the traditional craft of Shankhari bangle-making by learning from Shankhari artisans.
Additionally, it examines the preservation of Bangla culture in Tanti Bazar, where the sheen of gold contributes to the swift transformation of the built heritage, they say.
The study also highlights the enduring literary and cultural legacy in Bangla Bazar, the presence of Gol Talab as a rare oasis in densely populated Puran Dhaka, and the changes in the mansions of Zamindars in Mongolabash. Finally, it delves into the wood-to-paper connections in the Farashganj neighbourhood, they say.
The opening was followed by a performance art titled “Gaaner Kuli.”
Enthusiasts can visit the exhibition from 10am to 5pm daily.