Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD) has recently hosted the first show of the puppet theatre titled “Invisible Stories” by a duo of Bangladeshi artists, Diana Meriline and Md Farhad Ahmed, under French puppeteer Laurie Cannac’s direction of her very own creation. The maiden edition of this special theatre production was staged on October 4 and 5 at La Galerie, Alliance Française de Dhaka, in Dhanmondi. The story follows two scientists, studying the impact of ghosts on everyday life in Dhaka. Their subject begins to master them and throws them on a fantastic trip that leads them to meet the wilderness and wisdom of the Sundarbans.  

The government has appointed new directors in six departments of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA). At the same time, the remaining terms of the contracts of BSA's immediate-past four directors have been cancelled. Ministry of Public Administration on Monday issued a notification in this regard. The newly appointed directors are: Mustafa Zaman (Fine Arts Department), Faiz Zahir (Drama and Film Department), Nava Mehjabeen Rahman (Music, Dance and Recitation Department), Tanzim Wahab (Research and Publication Department), Abdul Halim Chanchal (Production Department) and AFM Nurur Rahman (Training Department). These new directors have been appointed for a period of two years from the date of joining, subject to severance of working relationship with other institutions and organisations. The contractual appointments of previous directors Syeda Mahbuba Karim Mini (Fine Arts Department), Kazi Aftab Uddin Hablu (Music, Dance and Recitation Department), Jyotika Pal Jyoti (Research and Publication Department) and Sohaila Afsana Iko (Production Department) were canceled.

In a recent auction organised by renowned auction house Sotheby's in London, United Kingdom, two paintings by the Bangladeshi art maestro 'Shilpacharya' Zainul Abedin fetched record prices, the highest for any Bangladeshi artist in history.Sotheby's, which was founded in London close to 300 years ago but is now headquartered in New York, recently organised an auction in London on Thursday (September 26) titled 'Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art', where these two paintings were auctioned at record prices.According to Sotheby's website, one of the two paintings, "Untitled," was sold for 516,000 GBP, or $692,048, equivalent to Tk 8.27 crore. This is a work from Zainul's 'Monpura 70' series which the artist painted in southern Char Monpura after the disastrous cyclone of 1970. Millions of people lost their lives in that cyclone.The other painting, another of the Shilpacharya’s "Untitled (Group of Figures)" series was sold for US $643,690, which is approximately Tk 7.69 crore.Both of these original artworks were gifted by Shilpacharya to Cedomil Plazek, a hydrogeologist and representative of Geotehnika Yugoslavia for the United Nations. He lived in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and for many years worked on the United Nations’ groundwater resources development project, as per the description written on the Sotheby's website. During his tenure in Bangladesh, Plazek befriended Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin, who gifted him these two paintings, according to the description of these two auctioned paintings.As per the description, the first painting is an 'ink and wash on paper' based work, measured as 54.5 x 74.6 cm (21 3/8 x 29 3/8 in.), signed and dated 'Zainul / 1970' and stamped lower right, and executed in 1970. The second painting is an ‘oil on canvas’ artwork, measured as 68 x 153.8 cm (26 ¾ x 60 ½ in.), signed and dated 'Zainul. 71' lower right, and painted in 1971.Besides these two record-setting paintings, a third painting by the art maestro titled "Untitled (Figures)", sold for $289,663, or Tk 3.46 crore.Back in March this year, Sotheby's auctioned two record-setting paintings of Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin in New York, USA. One of them was his famous painting “Untitled” (Santal Couple), painted in 1951, and was sold for $381,000. Another painting “Untitled,” created between 1956 and 1963 depicting a woman at rest, was sold for $279,400.

During his first exchange of views with journalists from print, online and electronic media on Wednesday, the newly appointed Director General of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) Dr Syed Jamil Ahmed said that his mission is to make BSA corruption-free, transparent and accountable to everyone. At the seminar room of BSA’s National Theatre Hall, the DG presented the work plans and outlines of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy to the journalists. During the meeting, he also called for at least three percent of the country's GDP to be allocated to the cultural sector. The meeting began with a minute of silence in memory of the martyrs of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement. The DG then showed a presentation, outlining his plans for reforms, management policies, laws and regulations of the academy. “Culture serves as more than simply a means of amusement; it is an artistic medium that reflects the lifeblood of a country. The Academy will consistently denounce cultural traditions that are founded on a particular ideology. BSA aims to become an inclusive democratic art field of invention, beauty, and joy that draws inspiration from all cultures, languages, faiths, and philosophies,” Dr Jamil stated. Later in the question-and-answer session with journalists. he said: "In addition to the resource centricity, several posts including account assistants will be created to speed up the activities of the district Shilpakala academies." He suggested implementing short, medium and long-term strategies to improve the academy's infrastructural and structural projects. Furthermore, the Director General urged all media outlets to work together in support of the academy's cultural activities in research and practice on a national and global scale by offering information and guidance.

Eminent cultural personality Syed Jamil Ahmed, a distinguished theatre director and founding chair of Dhaka University's Department of Theater and Music, has been appointed the new Director General of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA). On Monday, the Ministry of Public Administration announced his appointment, declaring that Syed Jamil Ahmed has been appointed as the Director General of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy for the next two years from the date of his joining, subject to severing work relationships with other institutions and organizations. Sabina Yesmin, Public Relations Officer of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, confirmed the news to UNB, stating that he will start his regular activities as the new Director General from the next working day. Syed Jamil Ahmed was born in Dhaka on April 7, 1955. He took part in the 1971 Liberation War at the age of sixteen, and graduated from the National School of Drama, India in 1978, obtaining first-class-first position. In 1989, he obtained a master's degree in theatre arts from the University of Warwick, England, and a PhD in 1997 from Dhaka University. Dr Syed Jamil Ahmed is the founder of the Department of Theater and Performance Studies of Dhaka University. He has been teaching in this department for more than 30 years. Liaquat Ali Lucky, the former Director General of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) who governed the organization for over a decade as its longest-reigning DG, resigned from his post on August 12 after the fall of the Hasina administration due to the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement. With Dr Jamil joining the country's top arts and culture organization, Bangladesh's cultural scene is set to undergo a major transformation as he brings a wealth of expertise and a new viewpoint.

The solo painting exhibition titled ‘Journey of the Cosmos’ by artist Masudur Rahman has begun at La Galerie, Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD), Dhanmondi in the capital. The inaugural ceremony of this exhibition was held on Friday. Artist and critic Mostofa Zaman, Dhaka University Professor Emeritus at the Department of English Prof Dr Syed Manzoorul Islam, and eminent artist Monirul Islam were the special guests at the inaugural ceremony. Masudur Rahman’s journey as an artist is deeply rooted in his exploration of the vastness and emptiness characterising human consciousness. His works traverse the intricate interplay between form and formlessness, presenting a duality that is intrinsic to life itself. Through ‘Journey of the Cosmos’, Rahman offers us a window into his contemplative and philosophical approach to art, where the cosmic and the earthly converge in a seamless dance of abstraction and embodiment. He enjoys creating art through drawing, viewing it as a cosmic journey where lines serve as his spaceship. This perspective allows him to explore the mysterious depths of art, which he finds to be a source of joy in life; and he perceives the universe through his artwork, considering the human figure as central to everything. In Rahman’s own words, “The sense of vastness and space that is always awake in the mind of man gives immense depth to his creation, love, and life. This infinite emptiness is our basic form.” “I am created from within that void, once in form and once in formlessness. This dual form of shape and formlessness is ‘life,’ and this is how my artwork is an expression of embodiment and abstraction.” Masudur Rahman hails from Barishal, Bangladesh, and has been residing in Dhaka for the past 25 years. He engages in drawing and painting, favouring mediums like ink, acrylic, and watercolour, drawing inspiration from ancient Indian and Renaissance art; and his educational background includes a Master of Fine Arts and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Oriental Art from Dhaka University. The exhibition will be open to all till Saturday, September 14, Monday to Saturday from 3 pm to 9 pm (closed on Sunday).

A special group art exhibition titled ‘Art for Aid: Rebuilding Lives’ began Thursday at Gallery Cosmos in the capital, to support the victims of the recent catastrophic floods in 11 districts in the east of Bangladesh, that claimed over 60 lives and affected more than 5.5 million people. The waterlogged inhabitants in these 11 districts - Feni, Cumilla, Chattogram, Khagrachari, Noakhali, Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Brahmanbaria, Sylhet, Lakshmipur, and Cox's Bazar, are experiencing the havoc of the floods. Many public and private organizations have since stepped forward to provide financial and other necessary assistance for the flood victims. Showcasing its heartfelt support towards the flood-stricken people, the month-long exhibition was inaugurated at the Gallery Cosmos on Thursday morning, aiming to raise funds for the flood victims. All sales proceeds from this exhibition will be donated to flood relief. This special group art exhibition is featuring some of the unique and special artworks of 24 prominent and young Bangladeshi artists - Kalidas Karmakar, Hamiduzzaman Khan, Biren Shome, Alakesh Ghosh, Abdus Shakoor Shah, Farida Zaman, Jamal Ahmed, Rokeya Sultana, Shishir Bhattacharjee, Ahmed Shamsuddoha, Sheikh Afzal Hossain, Kanak Chanpa Chakma, Mohammad Iqbal, Anukul Mazumder, Maksuda Iqbal Nipa, Nazia Andaleeb Preema,  Azmeer Hossain, Bishwajit Goswami, Abdullah Al Bashir, Sourav Chowdhury, Kamruzzoha, Shahanoor Mamun and Arif Bachchu.

"Art for Aid: Rebuilding Lives," a special month-long art exhibition, is set to commence at Cosmos Center, Dhaka, on September 5. Organized by Gallery Cosmos and Cosmos Atelier71, this event will run daily from 10 am to 5 pm till October 5. Gallery Director Tehmina Enayet is organising the art event. Featuring the works of 20 prominent artists, including Kalidas Karmakar, Hamiduzzaman Khan, Biren Shome, and Alakesh Ghosh, the exhibition aims to support victims of the recent flood by donating all proceeds from art sales to aid relief efforts. Guest attendance and support can make a significant impact on those in need. The Cosmos Center is located at 69/1 New Circular Road, Malibagh, Dhaka 1217.

Alliance Francaise de Dhaka (AFD), one of the regular and prominent venues of art exhibitions in the country, resumed its regular exhibitions on Thursday with the group exhibition titled ‘PSA: Beyond the Gaze’ at its La Galerie. The participating artists in this exhibition are Ashima Raizada, Jatin Gulati, Ritika Sharma, Kunga Tashi Lepcha, Rinoshan Susiman, Aniruddha Sarkar, and Arshadul Hoque Rocky. Artist and critic Mostofa Zaman and critic Moinuddin Khaled attended the inauguration event on Thursday as special guests. Displaying pieces from the PSA: Beyond the Gaze 2023–2024 workshop, supported by Photo South Asia, an initiative of the MurthyNayak Foundation, the exhibition is also in partnership with Alliance Francaise de Dhaka in Bangladesh and the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art in Delhi, India. A six-month workshop was held to initiate this exhibition, welcoming young photographers and lens-based artists from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. The workshop was led by Soumya Sankar Bose (India) and Ashfika Rahman (Bangladesh), while Tanvi Mishra reviewed the editing. This workshop engaged participants in a discussion that explores photography as a social tool, dedicated to exploring different narratives from individual and collaborative vantage points. Participants are challenged to create a different narrative—one that not only records but also addresses a deep understanding of possibilities, where the entire community is included as collaborators. According to the exhibition’s note, the artists in this exhibition ruminate over these provocations, sieving through lived experiences, family histories, state narratives, telltales, myths, and collective memories. The group show is a testament to our times in which legacies, identities, gazes, norms, systems, and selves are conceived beyond set notions, and practitioners from parts of Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka present stories of their dispositions through works that share a common ground of the present. The exhibition will be open to all till Monday, September 2, from 3 pm to 9 pm.

Liaquat Ali Lucky, the longest-tenured director general of the country’s principal state-sponsored national cultural centre, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA), stepped down on Monday. Citing personal reasons, Lucky sent his resignation letter to the Ministry of Cultural Affairs via WhatsApp on Monday afternoon, according to multiple sources. Cultural Affairs Secretary Khalil Ahmed confirmed that the resignation letter was submitted to the ministry. Following the two-year term of the late distinguished writer and journalist Kamal Lohani, Liaquat Ali Lucky took charge of BSA as its Director General on April 7, 2011. Lucky's tenure as the Director General of BSA was extended for a record seventh time when he was reappointed in March 2023. He was frequently called upon to step down due to corruption, nepotism, and several other allegations. The Anti-Corruption Commission has questioned him on allegations of corruption back in 2022. Artists and theatre activists who have protested as part of the recent anti-discriminatory movement have also raised their voices against the corruption and injustice of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy during the tenure of Lucky and demanded his resignation several times. Since Sheikh Hasina resigned from the post of Prime Minister on August 5 and left the country, there have been reports of the resignation of the heads of various institutions. On Saturday, Bangla Academy Director General Professor Dr Md Harun-Ur-Rashid Askari also resigned from his post.