Arts-&-Culture
BSA commemorates August 21 massacre with visual art show
A special 3-day visual art show titled 'STIGMATIZED DAY' began at Nandan Mancha of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) on Sunday, commemorating the August 21st grenade attack massacre.
Fine Arts department of BSA organized the event with the support of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs.
Curated by artist Abhijit Chowdhury and co-curated by Sujon Mahahbub and Shubhra Talukder, the performance art programme is showcasing the graphic representation of the brutal Dhaka grenade attack which took place at an anti-terrorism rally organised by the Bangladesh Awami League on Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital on August 21st, 2004.
Read:'BRAVEHEART’: Gallery Cosmos pays rich artistic tribute to Bangabandhu
Rush to register: Mahfuz Canvas to host student art show in Dubai!
Mahfuz Canvas, a platform for the underprivileged self-taught Bangladeshi artists, is gearing up to host a special overseas exhibition that will offer contemporary painters from this country an opportunity to showcase their artworks in Dubai.
The first edition of this exhibition, titled ‘Annual Student Art Show,’ in collaboration with the UAE's largest art community, the Funun Arts Group, is scheduled to take place in the last week of October.
This event will showcase numerous artworks based on the theme of the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), according to the organisers.
Read 'Rhythmic Abstraction' begins at Alliance Francaise de Dhaka
Mahfuz Canvas was founded by internationally acclaimed Bangladeshi artist Mahfuzur Rahman.
According to the Funun Arts Group, the organisers are anticipating the participation of students from across the world. They expect to showcase 400 paintings at the event, at least 25 of which will be from Bangladeshi artists.
By visiting www.mahfuz.art, Bangladeshi artists can easily register for this event till August 31. Participation for Bangladeshi artists will be funded by Mahfuz Canvas.
Read:'BRAVEHEART’: Gallery Cosmos pays rich artistic tribute to Bangabandhu
'BRAVEHEART’: Gallery Cosmos pays rich artistic tribute to Bangabandhu
Since Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and nearly all of his family members were brutally assassinated on August 15, 1975, the eighth month of the Gregorian calendar has always held special significance for Bangladeshis as one for mourning and reflection.
A thoroughbred politician who led a life of constant struggle and sacrifice for a cause, Bangabandhu’s place in history was assured when he led the people of what was once East Pakistan to freedom in 1971, establishing the newly-independent state of Bangladesh.
Bangabandhu’s tireless contributions to improving the lot of his people, today’s Bangladeshis, mark him out as one of the 20th century’s tallest leaders. A natural born leader of men, he was also a man of culture - and he proved that from time to time, by always supporting and patronising Bangladeshi arts and culture, as well as the artists.
Read: “The Passion of Drawing-2” by Gallery Cosmos: A daylong tribute to drawing
As the visionary behind all the necessary transformations that Bangladesh needed after its independence, Bangabandhu left an indelible mark in the hearts of all who knew him, and on the fabric of the nation, till he was gunned down along with almost his entire family in a maon on the fabric of the nation remembered with befitting tribute and respect.
BSA to organise month-long exhibition commemorating mournful August
To showcase its heartfelt tribute to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who was assassinated along with most of his family members on August 15,1975, the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) will organise a series of events throughout the month.
Monday, the BSA will lift the curtain on the month-long art exhibition "Bhasha Andolon, Muktijuddho O Bangabandhu" at its National Art Gallery.
Cultural Affairs Secretary Md Abul Monsur will be present at the inaugural ceremony as chief guest and painter Hashem Khan as special guest.
Read: ‘Our Shared Cultural Heritage’ project connecting youth with heritage
Painter Samarjit Roy Chowdhury will inaugurate the exhibition at Gallery 1 of the National Art Gallery at 6pm. BSA Director General Liaquat Ali Lucky will preside over the event.
The BSA is organising this special exhibition as part of its month-long tribute programmes under the title "Shok theke Shoktir Ovvudoy, Shwapnopuron er Drirhoprottoy."
‘Our Shared Cultural Heritage’ project connecting youth with heritage
The activities carried out under ‘Our Shared Cultural Heritage’ (OSCH), a youth-led programme by the British Council, has been showcased in Rajshahi.
The activities were showcased on July 28 and 29.
This project has been designed to connect young people and inspire them to work with cultural heritages through organising a series of trainings and activities. 31 young people from different institutions have been working with cultural heritages since 2021 under this project.
Read: International art exhibition held in Kathmandu paying tribute to Sultan
It is to connect the heritages to the youth as well as to the wider audience so that people can understand and work on our heritages.
On 28 July, a programme was held at Varendra Research Museum, the research partner of this project.
Robert Chatterton Dickson, British High Commissioner to Bangladesh, was present at the programme with Tom Miscioscia, Director Bangladesh, the British Council and other guests in attendance.
BSA pays tribute to legendary music director Alam Khan
Reminiscing eminent music director and composer Alam Khan who passed away earlier this month, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) organised a special event on Sunday night.
The event featured discussion on the life and works of Khan, a legendary journeyman in the audio industry of Bangladesh.
Besides, several renowned artistes covered some of his famous and popular songs as a tribute to the late iconic composer.
Read:Legendary music director Alam Khan is no more
Eminent lyricist Gazi Mazharul Anwar, legendary singers including Syed Abdul Hadi, Khurshid Alam and Sabina Yasmin, music director-composer Sheikh Sadi Khan, composer Jahangir Hayath Khan, and Alam Khan’s two sons - Arman Khan and Adnan Khan, joined the discussion programme as special guests.
BSA Director General Liaquat Ali Lucky presided over the discussion, while BSA Music Department Director Aftab Uddin Hablu and BSA Secretary Md Asaduzzaman delivered the opening remarks.
After the discussion, several popular singers such as Khurshid Alam, Pantha Kanai, Ronty Das and others performed some of his most famous songs including "Ajke Nahoy Valobasho," Chander Sathe Ami Debo na Tomar Tulona," "Orey Neel Doria," "Ami Rajanigandha Ful-er Moto" and more.
A record seven-time National Film Award-winning music director, Alam Khan passed away on July 8 at the age of 79.
Remembering Humayun Ahmed on his 10th death anniversary
Tuesday marks the 10th death anniversary of eminent Bangladeshi writer, playwright, lyricist, academician and filmmaker Humayun Ahmed.
The legendary litterateur passed away on July 19, 2012 due to colorectal cancer at the age of 63 at Bellevue Hospital, New York, in the United States.
Commemorating the death anniversary, his family and several organizations are observing the day with different programmes and events.
Humayun Ahmed's widow and actress and singer Meher Afroz Shaon, alongside their two sons Ninit and Nishad, placed floral wreaths at his grave at Nuhash Palli, Gazipur in the morning.
Special prayers and Quran Khatam were organized in the morning, and a prayer ceremony was also held to seek the forgiveness of his soul. Orphans will be fed at noon marking this occasion, according to both Shaon and the authority of Nuhash Palli.
Himu Paribahan, a renowned fan unit of the prolific litterateur, has been observing this special day since 2013. Members of the platform placed floral wreaths at the writer's grave in the morning.
The Kishoreganj district unit of the group is organizing a special book reading season titled "Himu-der Boi Uthsab" from 2 pm to 5 pm at the Gurudayal College Field Muktamancha, while the Narsingdi unit of the platform will commemorate the legend with a special publication titled 'Kachari'.
Besides, different units of the platform will plant trees in more than 45 districts and organise awareness programmes against cancer in more than 20 districts.
Read: Remembering Humayun Ahmed, a polymath par excellence
Several other organisations are also commemorating the day with various events, while fans and admirers are sharing emotional tributes to the legend on their social media accounts.
Television channels and radio stations are also airing various programmes, highlighting the life and glorious career of the wordsmith. Channel-i is commemorating the acclaimed filmmaker with a special three-day programme schedule, showcasing three films of the prolific filmmaker including "Amar Achhe Jol" on Sunday, "Shrabon Megher Din" on Monday and "Ghetuputra Komola" on today.
Humayun Ahmed was born in Kutubpur village at Mohanganj, Netrakona to Foyzur Rahman Ahmed and Ayesha Foyez on November 13, 1948.
In his academic life, he passed the School Certificate (1965) from Bogra Zilla School, Intermediate from Dhaka College and earned his BSc and MSc in Chemistry from Dhaka University with first class. He joined Dhaka University as a lecturer of Chemistry and later went to North Dakota State University in the United States to pursue his PhD in Polymer Chemistry.
'Nondito Noroke' (1972) was Humayun Ahmed's debut novel, which gave Humayun the breakthrough and propelled his career as a writer. The Ekushey Padak winner writer wrote over 200 fiction and non-fiction books, all of which were bestsellers in Bangladesh to date.
Humayun Ahmed won Bangla Academy Award, Lekhak Shibir Award, Shishu Academy Award, Michael Madhusudan Padak, Bachsas Award, and more for his outstanding contributions in his illustrious career to the Bengali culture and entertainment sphere.
As a content maker in television, Ahmed debuted with his drama 'Prothom Prohor' (1983) for Bangladesh Television (BTV). His successful journey in television continued with popular drama serials 'Ei Shob Din Ratri', 'Bohubrihi', 'Ayomoy', 'Nokkhotrer Raat', 'Aaj Robibar' and most notably, 'Kothao Keu Nei' which created a historic hype in the nation - surrounding the lead character 'Baker Bhai', portrayed by veteran actor Asaduzzaman Noor.
Humayun Ahmed also explored success as a filmmaker in the early 1990s and went on to make a total of eight films in his filmmaking career, each based on his own novels. Two of his films, 'Syamol Chhaya' (2004) and 'Ghetuputra Komola' (2012) were the official Bangladeshi submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in their respective years.
He received seven Bangladesh National Film Awards in different categories for the films 'Shonkhonil Karagar' (as screenwriter), 'Aguner Poroshmoni', 'Daruchini Dwip' and 'Ghetuputra Komola'.
The literateur is survived by two sons Ninit and Nishad with his second wife and actor-director Meher Afroze Shaon; and the only son Nuhash Humayun who is currently working in the media industry as a content creator and director, and three daughters Nova, Shila, Bipasha with his first wife Gultekin Ahmed.
International art exhibition held in Kathmandu paying tribute to Sultan
An international art exhibition in memory of world-famous Bangladeshi artist, the late SM Sultan, was held at Mithila Yain Art Gallery in central Kathmandu, Nepal Friday.
Sujata Koirala MP, former deputy prime minister and foreign minister of Nepal, inaugurated the exhibition.
Curtain rises on Shilpo Bangla Art Exhibition
The first edition of the Shilpo Bangla Art Exhibition was inaugurated Monday at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy's National Art Gallery.
The exhibition, presented by Mahfuz Canvas and co-sponsored by Moon Calligraphy, is showcasing over 250 paintings, ranging from calligraphies to contemporary artworks.
Ekushey Padak winning artist-sculptor Hamiduzzaman Khan inaugurated the exhibition.
Mahfuz Canvas, an organisation founded by renowned international artist Mahfuzur Rahman, is the title sponsor of the event.
Mahfuzur supported several online and offline art events and exhibitions in the past three years to provide self-taught artists of Bangladesh with a welcoming and encouraging international platform.
The founders of Shilpo Bangla, calligraphy artist couple Sultana Mimi and Jamil Ahmed, want to offer a forum for Bangladeshi creative and energetic entrepreneurs.
The Shilpo Bangla Art Exhibition will welcome visitors till June 30 from 11am to 7pm.
Also read: 'Reminiscence of Dreams': Jogen Chowdhury's solo exhibition goes on
Charukola celebrates the birth centenary of Shilpaguru Safiuddin Ahmed in style
The Faculty of Fine Art (FFA), Dhaka University observed the birth centenary of Shilapaguru Safiuddin Ahmed, the pioneer of Printmaking in Bangladesh, through various events on Friday and Thursday at the FFA campus in the capital.
The two-day commemorative fest featured the ceremony of 'Shilpaguru Safiuddin Ahmed Sammanna-2022,' commemorative seminars, the inauguration of a special exhibition, cultural events and a rendezvous of artists from different artistic backgrounds.
As part of the birth centenary celebration of Shilpaguru Safiuddin Ahmed, the 'Shilpaguru Safiuddin Ahmed Sammanna-2022' was awarded on Friday to seven eminent Bangladeshi artists by the Faculty of Fine Arts and Printmaking Department of Dhaka University.
Eminent Printmaker Kalidas Karmakar (posthumous), artist Professor Mohammad Kibria (posthumous), legendary cartoonist Professor Rafiqun Nabi, Bangladeshi-Spanish artist Monirul Islam, artist Professor Mahmudul Haque (posthumous), artist Shahid Kabir and artist Professor Abul Barq Alvi received this prestigious award, presented by Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor in charge and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Professor Muhammad Samad on Friday at the Bakultala of the Faculty of Fine Arts.
The crests were received on behalf of the late artists by Mohammad Kibria's son Nashrid Kibria, Mahmudul Haque's wife Shikha Mahmud, Kalidas Karmakar's sister Sanchita Karmakar, and Shahid Kabir's niece Maliha Masud.
Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts Prof Nisar Hossain, artist and son of the Shilpaguru Ahmed Nazir, Chairman of Durjoy Foundation Durjoy Rahman Joy, Convener of Shilpaguru Safiuddin Ahmed Birth Centenary Celebration Council Professor Rokeya Sultana and Member-Secretary Professor Anisuzzaman spoke at the ceremony, which was presided over by the Printmaking Department Chairman Sheikh Mohammad Rokonuzzaman.
Earlier on Thursday, different departments of the FFA including Printmaking, Drawing and Painting, Graphic Design, Oriental Art, Craft, History of Art, Sculpture, and Ceramics, alongside several art organizations including the Bengal Foundation, Gallery Chitrak, Gallery Cosmos, Safiuddin Shilpalay and Fine Arts department of Jagannath University, among others, paid tribute to the artist by placing floral wreaths at his grave.
A commemorative seminar was held after that at the Osman Jamal Auditorium of the FFA, joined by eminent artist and cartoonist Professor Rafiqun Nabi as the chief guest.
Shilpaguru’s son artist Ahmed Nazir, Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin’s son engineer Moinul Abedin, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Fine Arts Department Director Syeda Mahbuba Karim, DU FFA Dean Professor Nisar Hossain were present as special guests at the seminar, while Dhaka University Bangla department chairman Syed Azizul Huq was present as discussant, who shed light on the Shilpaguru as a journeyman, fostering Bangladeshi art.
Following the seminar, an exhibition titled "Paramparay Chhapchitra" was inaugurated at the Zainul Gallery I and II and at the artwork collection room, featuring artworks created by 170 eminent and aspiring artists such as Somnath Hore, Quamrul Hassan, Mohammad Kibria, Aminul Islam, Murtaja Baseer, Bijan Choudhury, Devdas Chakraborty, Hamiduzzaman Khan, Rokeya Sultana, and Nisar Hossain.
Several artworks of the Shilpaguru have been featured in the artwork collection area, including an oil on canvas piece titled Portrait of Hamidur Rahman and wood engraving works titled ‘Santal Women,’ ‘On Way to the Fair,’ among others.The exhibition will welcome art admirers till June 30.