Arts-&-Culture
‘Impression of Rokeya’s’ concludes at Garden Gallery with live printmaking session and exhibition
To highlight the art of printmaking, Cosmos Atelier 71’s exclusive printmaking workshop titled “Impression of Rokeya's” by eminent art maestro Professor Rokeya Sultana came to an end on Saturday with a live printmaking session and daylong exhibition at the Garden Gallery, Baridhara in the capital.
The exclusive intaglio process, softground and stencil workshop by Professor Rokeya Sultana was conducted with 10 young and prominent Bangladeshi artists from home and beyond — Asmita Alam Shammy, Roosevelt Benjamin, Chhobi Zulfiqar, Rifat Jahan Kanta, Farzana Rahman Bobby, Mohammad Rezwanur Rahman, Bacchu Miah Arif, Kamruzzoha, SM Ehsan and Indian artist Sukla Poddar.
Inaugurated on January 23 at the Cosmos Atelier 71 in Malibagh, the workshop also featured four guest artists — renowned painter Afrozaa Jamil Konka, eminent photojournalist-artist Nasir Ali Mamun, veteran artist and freedom fighter Biren Shome and journalist-artist Zahangir Alom — alongside participating artists Sam Jamil Julian, Rumessa Mailloux and Sourav Chowdhury.
On Saturday, the workshop wrapped up with live printmaking sessions for visitors and art enthusiasts, an exclusive exhibition and live musical performances by the artists at the picturesque setting of the gallery.
Art maestro and workshop conductor Professor Rokeya Sultana and Cosmos Atelier 71-Gallery Cosmos Director Tehmina Enayet handed over the certificates to the participating artists at the event.
Journalist-author Shahnaz Munni receives Anannya Lit Award 1429
The prestigious Anannya Literary Award 1429 (2023) was handed to journalist and author Shahnaz Munni on Saturday in the Poet Sufia Kamal Auditorium of the Bangladesh National Museum.
The award is given each year by acclaimed feminist magazine ‘Anannya’.
Eminent author Anwara Syed Haq presented the award to Munni as the chief guest of the ceremony, which was joined by Jahangirnagar University academician and author-researcher Hamim Kamrul Haque as the special guest.
Anannya editor Tasmima Hossain chaired the event. "I would like to congratulate Shahnaz Munni on earning the Anannya Literary Award 1429. She is a prolific writer, and I believe she will achieve great success in her career,” she said.
Sharing her joy over the achievement, Shahnaz Munni said: “For thirty years I have been writing, and this is the very first award I have ever achieved in my writing career. I am so grateful for this award and also to the fortnightly Anannya.”
Shahnaz Munni was born on February 8, 1969. Alongside her identity as a successful author, she is a renowned television journalist and currently working as the chief news editor at News24.
Her literary works include 24 books, namely ‘Elo Krubdho Ondhokar’, ‘Badur o Brandy’, ‘Tritiyo Ghonta Porar Agei’, ‘Pan Sundari, ‘Nirbachito Golpo’, ‘Ami ar Amin Jokhon Azimpurey Thaktam’ and ‘Snaner Shobdo’, which is being published from Mowla Brothers at this year’s Amar Ekushey Boi Mela.
Anannya Literary Award was introduced in 1993. The award honours a woman writer every year for her contribution to literature.
A handful of eminent women writers have been conferred with this prestigious award over the years, including Selina Hossain, Rabeya Khatun, Niaz Zaman, Rizia Rahman, Nilima Ibrahim, Dilara Hashem, Rubi Rahman, Begum Akhtar Kamal, Jharna Das Purkayastha, Akimun Rahman, Nadira Majumdar and more.
Read more: 10 promising, successful women receive Anannya Award 2021
'Learning from Puran Dhaka' begins at AFD
A living exhibition and an open workshop titled "Learning from Puran Dhaka: The Urbanity of Occupations along the Buriganga Riverfront" began at La Galerie of the Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD) Saturday.
Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the European Union (EU) in Bangladesh Charles Whiteley, Ambassador of France to Bangladesh Marie Masdupuy and Embassy of the Netherlands in Bangladesh Chargé d'affaires Thijs Woudstra joined the opening ceremony.
"It's a beautiful project. The heritage of Dhaka is very important and the heritage of Old Dhaka is extremely important," said Ambassador Whitely, adding that it is very exciting to see some students will be exploring Old Dhaka.
6th Dhaka Art Summit underway at BSA
The long-awaited 6th edition of Dhaka Art Summit (DAS) was inaugurated on Friday at the National Art Gallery of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) in the capital.
This marks the return of the summit which is regarded as Bangladesh and South Asian region’s biggest art and painting biennale exhibition platform, after three years of hiatus due to Covid-19 pandemic.
Prime minister's private sector and investment adviser Salman F Rahman inaugurated the nine-day Dhaka Art Summit (DAS) at National Art Gallery auditorium on Friday morning.
State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid, Director General of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Liaquat Ali Lucky, and DAS organizing committee chairman and Cosmos Foundation Honorary Advisor Emeritus Ambassador Farooq Sobhan were also present as the special guests.
Read: 9th Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival begins Saturday
Director of Dhaka Art Summit and President of Samdani Art Foundation Nadia Samdani MBE, Trustee of Dhaka Art Summit and Samdani Art Foundation Rajeeb Samdani, and Managing Director and CEO of Golden Harvest Agro Industries Limited Mohammad Saker Shamim also joined the inauguration ceremony.
Several influential personalities including Radwan Mujib Siddiq, grandson of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and trustee of Centre for Research and Information (CRI), and State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, among others, visited the Summit after its gala inaugural ceremony.
9th Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival begins Saturday
The 9th Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF 2023), powered by Star Cineplex, is all set to take place from February 4-5 which will bring mobile filmmakers from 25 different nations, showcasing their talented creative visions.
Twenty-six films have been selected from a total of 163 in five categories for this year’s festival: Open Doors, One Minute, Short Film, Vertical Film, and Mojo Story.
The inauguration ceremony of this two-day festival will be held on Saturday at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) Permanent campus on Beribadh Road, Mohammadpur in the capital, which will be joined by media personality and Grey Group Bangladesh Managing Partner and Country Head Syed Gousul Alam Shaon as the chief guest.
Films will be screened at the permanent campus on Saturday and at Star Cineplex, Shimanto Shambhar, Dhanmondi in the capital on Sunday, which will be followed by the closing ceremony.
On Thursday, a press conference was held at ULAB’s Research Building at Dhanmondi in the capital. Festival director Mohammad Sambitul Islam, event coordinator Ismam Rahim Karib, and public relations manager Zannatin Tazrimin Rithi were present at the press conference and shared insights about the 9th edition of the festival.
Regarding the eligibility of the submitted films, the organisers informed that filmmakers around the world have submitted their mobile-shot films in the Open Doors category. The "DIMFF Best Film" award will be given to the best film in this section.
The Short Film category was contested exclusively by undergraduate and graduate students from universities. The "CinemaScope Best Film" award will be given to the best movie in this category. Students in grades 1 through 12 were the participants in the One Minute category, and the best film will get the "ULAB Young Film Maker" award.
At the 9th edition of the festival, the "DIMFF Best Vertical Film" and "MSJ Best Mojo" awards will be presented to the best films in these two new categories. The film submission for the 9th Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival started on April 3 last year, and the submission concluded on October 28.
The jury board for selecting the best films in the Short Film, Mojo Story and One-Minute categories are filmmaker Senjuti Subarna Tushi (Jury Chair), alongside ‘Nonajoler Kabbo’-famed National Award Winning filmmaker Rezwan Shahriar Sumit and Pakistani filmmaker Ayaz Khan as Jury Members.
Along with the two jurors - French-Turkish director Berat Gokkus and Bangladeshi filmmaker Tasmiyah Afrin Mou, ‘Hawa’-famed executive producer and filmmaker Shimul Chandra Biswas will serve as the jury chair for the newly introduced Open Door and Vertical Film categories.
With the tradition of focusing on a particular cultural heritage element as its festival theme, the DIMFF 2023 has chosen ‘Bioscope’ for this year’s theme.
The festival will be documented by Filmism and supported by wardrobe partner Blackistic, food partner Chow-man, festival partner MINA, media partner Dhaka Post, and public relation partner Brandsmith. Star Cineplex is the title sponsor for the 9th edition of DIMFF.
Chorusing the slogan “New Generation, New tools, New Communication,” Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF) started its journey back in 2015. Over the years, the festival has become a flagship event of the Media Studies and Journalism department of the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB).
More information about the festival is available at www.dimff.net.
Tracing the Roots of Ekushey Boi Mela
The Bangla language has always been at the forefront of our national identity. Amar Ekushey Boi Mela (Book Fair) is a significant part of Bangladesh’s history, culture and literature. Every year, the book fair is held in the month of February. It is the biggest book fair in the country where publishers display and sell printed books under diverse categories. This fair offers great opportunities for the readers to meet their favourite writers, poets, novelists, and publishers face-to-face. Besides serving as a platform to encourage readers to read and buy books, the Boi Mela also works as a monthlong cultural hub – showcasing the diversity of Bangladesh. Let’s look into the history of the Amar Ekushey Boi Mela.
CHITTARANJAN SAHA: STARTING BOI MELA FROM A MAT AT BANGLA ACADEMY PREMISES
Chittaranjan Saha was born in the Noakhali district in 1927. His publishing house Punthighar Prokashoni, located at Banglabazar in Dhaka, was burnt down in 1971. Chittaranjan Saha left Dhaka after March 26. He took shelter in Agartala and then moved to Calcutta (Kolkata) during the Liberation War.
During the Liberation War, many prominent writers, artists, and journalists from Bangladesh had to stay in Calcutta as refugees. During that period, Chittaranjan arranged a meeting with some of the most prominent litterateurs residing in Calcutta. They decided to write and publish about the injustice and war in Bangladesh (then East Pakistan). Thus, Muktodhara was born.
In February, 1972, Chittaranjan Saha laid a mat under the tree in front of the Bangla Academy building and put on display about 32 (33 according to some sources) books as a homage to the Language Movement martyrs of 1952.
Though Chittaranjan Saha initiated the Boi Mela from a humble beginning, according to some sources, he was not the first person who started selling books at Bangla Academy premises in February. Ruhul Amin Nizami of Standard Publishers started displaying Russian books. Those books were very popular at that time for their rich content and affordable prices.
Read More: Ekushey Book Fair to span entire February again after two years
HISTORY BEHIND THE FIRST BOOK FAIR IN BANGLADESH
Though Chittaranjan Saha is recognised as the initiator of Ekushey Boi Mela, the root of the book fair goes deeper.
The first book fair in then East Pakistan was held in 1965. The initiative was taken by Sardar Jainuddin, who was born in 1918 in Pabna.
In 1965, he started displaying some children’s books on the ground floor of the Dhaka University Library. At that time, he was working on a project for UNESCO regarding children’s books.
In 1970, Jainuddin organised a book fair in Narayanganj in association with Narayanganj Club.
As UNESCO declared 1972 the ‘International Book Year’, in December, Jainuddin took initiative to arrange a book fair inside Bangla Academy. Since then, Bangla Academy got directly involved with book fair events.
Read More: Bangabandhu Memorial Museum: Witness to History and Tragedy
THE JOURNEY OF EKUSHEY BOI MELA
Chittaranjan Saha continued putting books on display and selling them at the Bangla Academy premises for a few more years. In 1976, getting inspired by this idea of selling books, other publishers came together and joined in. Bangla Academy merged with this initiative in 1978.
Ashraf Siddiqui was the director general of Bangla Academy at that time, and he had an active role in the association of academy with the book fair. Bangla Academy’s association took Boi Mela to another level.
In 1979, a book fair was held at the courtyard of Bangla Academy with the collaboration of ‘Bangladesh Pustok Bikreta O Prokashok Samity’ (founded by Chittaranjan Saha) and the Bangla Academy authority.
Read More: Top Sculptures in Dhaka City
BGMEA organises Art Camp to promote Bangladesh's culture, heritage
The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has organised an art camp as part of its Brand Bangladesh initiative, in addition to its core focus to promote the apparel industry.
Sixty-two renowned artists, including Monirul Islam, Shahabuddin Ahmed, Hashem Khan, Abul Barq Alvi, Abdus Shakoor Shah, Abdul Mannan, Mohammad Eunus, Jamal Ahmed, Shishir Bhattacharjee, Farida Zaman, Hamiduzzaman Khan, Naima Haque, Rokeya Sultana, Dhali Al Mamoon, Shahid Kabir, Ahmed Shamsuddoha, Hossain Sheikh Afzal, Mohammad Iqbal, Mostafizul Haque, Mostafa Zaman Mithu, Afrozaa Jamil Konka, and Sohana Shahreen joined the "Made in Bangladesh with Pride Art Camp 2023" in Dhaka Sunday.
BGMEA President Faruque Hassan inaugurated the camp which was organised by the organisation in collaboration with Arcadia Arts Gallery.
Ekushey Book Fair to span entire February again after two years
The Amar Ekushey Book Fair's traditional dates got shifted for the past two editions due to Covid-19.
With virus-era norms like social distancing now discarded this year's fair is set to return to its usual start date of February 1, and barring some unforeseen pandemic-level event, last the entire month at Bangla Academy's sprawling premises, along with the adjacent Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital.
For the first time since 2020, the prime minister will inaugurate the fair in person. She will also distribute the Bangla Academy Literary Award 2022 among the recipients at the inaugural ceremony and unveil seven new books.
The ceremony will be chaired by Bangla Academy President novelist Selina Hossain. State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid, Cultural Affairs Secretary Md Abul Monsur and Bangla Academy Director General poet Nurul Huda will also be present.
Nine hundred and one units have been allocated to 601 organisations for this year's book fair, compared to 776 units to 534 organisations last year.
One hundred and sixty-five units have been allocated to 112 organisations on the Bangla Academy premises and 736 units to 489 organisations at Suhrawardy Udyan.
"Considering the suggestions and demands of the publishers and the fairgoers, we have made some changes in stall and pavilion arrangement as well as the entry and exit points. The previous cluster method is being changed and all the 489 stalls inside Suhrawardi Udyan have been set up in a way so that a visitor can see the whole fairground from any corner," Amar Ekushey Book Fair Committee Secretary KM Mujahidul Islam said at the press conference.
"The stalls of police, Ansar and fire service have been set up in the spot near the Institution of Engineers. Two confined zones have also been dedicated for food courts; there will be no unorganised, open or street food shops."
Due to publishers' requests regarding their commercial concerns, seven pavilions and 182 stalls have been moved from the Institution of Engineers area to the main fairground venue.
Also, the main entrance to the Suhrawardi Udyan area of the fair has been changed, and the temple gate of the Suhrawardi Udyan will now be the main entrance, which is located opposite the Bangla Academy. Also, there will be three more entrances and exits in the Teacher-Student Center (TSC), Doyel Chattar and the Institution of Engineers sections.
The traditional "Shishu Prohor" segment will be back this year after being shelved for two years in a row due to Covid. And the fair authority will organise this dedicated segment for child fairgoers every Friday and Saturday from 11am to 1pm. The "Shishu Chattar" has also been shifted from its previous place to the temple area this year.
Seminars will be held at the main stage of the fair venue at 4pm every day, followed by cultural events. There will be three information centres and a media centre at the Suhrawardi Udyan fairground for the fairgoers.
The fair venue was first extended to Suhrawardy Udyan in 2013 to accommodate more space besides its fixed venue at the Bangla Academy.
The entire fair zone will be closely monitored by more than 300 CCTV cameras.
The Chittaranjan Saha Memorial Award will be distributed to the best publishers. At the same time, the Munir Chowdhury Memorial Award will be conferred upon three organisations for publishing the best books in the 2022 fair.
Also, the Rokanuzzaman Khan Dadabhai Memorial Award will be given to the writer of the best children's book. The Artist Qayyum Chowdhury Memorial Award will be given to the best-designed stall at the fair.
The fairgoers can move through the four entrances and four exit points from 3pm to 9pm on regular days and 11am to 9pm on the holidays. However, they can enter the fair on International Mother Language Day at 8am, and all entrance points will be closed after 8.30pm.
The month-long book fair is arranged every year in February commemorating the sacrifices of people who laid down their lives on February 21, 1952, for establishing Bangla as the mother tongue.
The traditional Amar Ekushey Book Fair began informally in 1972 on the Bangla Academy premises; however, the academy officially took the responsibility of arranging the fair regularly, every year in 1978.
It was then named Amar Ekushey Grantha Mela and a guideline was laid out in this regard in 1984.
Read more: Longest-running Amar Ekushey Book Fair ends; Tk52.50 crore books sold
French Ambassador Marie Masdupuy visits Cosmos Atelier 71
Newly appointed Ambassador of France to Bangladesh Marie Masdupuy made a special visit to Cosmos Atelier 71 and Gallery Cosmos, the reputed printmaking studio and artistic space of Cosmos Foundation, on Thursday.
She explored the ongoing exclusive intaglio process softground and stencil workshop by internationally acclaimed artist and art teacher, Professor Rokeya Sultana, titled “Impression of Rokeya's” at the Cosmos Centre.
Read more: Printmaking workshop ‘Impression of Rokeya's’ underway at Cosmos Atelier 71
Tehmina Enayet, Director of Cosmos Atelier 71 and Gallery Cosmos, and Rokeya Sultana greeted Ambassador Masdupuy and exchanged their artistic visions, while Gallery Cosmos Artistic Director Sourav Chowdhury guided the studio and gallery tour while sharing the artistic initiatives and ongoing workshop to the ambassador.
"We are overwhelmed to have the honorable French Ambassador Marie Masdupuy among us, here in our Cosmos Atelier 71 and Gallery Cosmos. France is the pioneering nation in the world of arts and also has been one of our great diplomatic allies, and the ambassador’s maiden visit in our art space will continue strengthening the remarkable bond and friendship between the two nations," Tehmina Enayet told UNB.
Professor Rokeya Sultana said, "It is our great honor that Ambassador Masdupuy visited this exclusive printmaking workshop, and I along with all of our participating artists are enthralled with her presence and enthusiasm regarding our works."
Read more: Impression of Rokeya's: Intaglio process workshop at Cosmos Atelier71 from Monday
Inaugurated on January 23, the workshop is featuring young and prominent artists from home and beyond – Asmita Alam Shammy, Roosevelt Benjamin, Chhobi Zulfiqar, Rifat Jahan Kanta, Farzana Rahman Bobby, Mohammad Rezwanur Rahman, Bacchu Miah Arif, Kamruzzoha, SM Ehsan and Indian artist Sukla Poddar.
The workshop also features four guest artists – renowned painter Afrozaa Jamil Konka, eminent photojournalist-artist Nasir Ali Mamun, veteran artist and freedom fighter Biren Shome and journalist-artist Zahangir Alom – alongside participating guest artists Sam Jamil Julian, Rumessa Mailloux and Sourav Chowdhury.
Printmaking workshop ‘Impression of Rokeya's’ underway at Cosmos Atelier 71
Showcasing the captivating techniques and storytelling behind the art of printmaking, an exclusive printmaking workshop titled “Impression of Rokeya's” by eminent art maestro Professor Rokeya Sultana is currently underway at Cosmos Atelier 71 in Dhaka’s Malibagh.
Inaugurated on Monday, January 23, on the birthday of the renowned artist and art educator, the workshop is featuring young and prominent Bangladeshi artists Asmita Alam Shammy, Roosevelt Benjamin, Chhobi Zulfiqar, Rifat Jahan Kanta, Farzana Rahman Bobby, Mohammad Rezwanur Rahman, Bacchu Miah Arif, Kamruzzoha, SM Ehsan and Indian artist Sukla Poddar.
The exclusive intaglio process-softground and stencil workshop by Professor Rokeya Sultana is also featuring four guest artists - renowned painter Afrozaa Jamil Konka, eminent photojournalist-artist Nasir Ali Mamun, veteran artist and freedom fighter Biren Shome and journalist-artist Zahangir Alom, alongside participating guest artists Sam Jamil Julian, Rumessa Mailloux and Sourav Chowdhury.
Read more: Impression of Rokeya's: Intaglio process workshop at Cosmos Atelier71 from Monday