Dhaka, Apr 19 (UNB) - A 10-day print art exhibition featuring works of noted Japanese artist Toshihiko Ikeda began on Friday at National Art Gallery of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) in the city. 

The solo exhibition, titled 'Line of Ages', was jointly hosted by Cosmos Atelier-71 Studio and BSA. 

The exhibition was inaugurated by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Director General (DG) Liaquat Ali Lucky.
 

"Japan is really a good friend of Bangladesh. We have cultural relations," Liaquat Ali Lucky said. 

He wished that this relation will strengthen through increased cultural exchanges. 

The BSA DG also mentioned Ikeda's works displayed in the 18th Asian Art Biennale Bangladesh in 2018 and invited him to join the 19th edition slated for 2020.

Artist Toshihiko Ikeda expressed his gratitude for giving him the opportunity to connect with the people of Bangladesh. 

He also thanked Cosmos Atelier-71 Studio for their cooperation. 

The exhibition will continue till April 29. 

Dhaka, Apr 19 (UNB) – A three-day art exhibition will begin at Zainul Gallery of the Faculty of Fine Art at Dhaka University (DU) on Saturday.

The opening ceremony is scheduled to be held at 5pm. The exhibition will remain open from 11am to 8pm every day till Monday.

Artworks from “Art Festival 2019 Gazipur” which was held on March 27-30, 2019 at Bhawal Mirzapur Haji Jamir Uddin School and College, Gazipur will be displayed at the show for the art lovers.

The exhibition will feature art camp, artwork exhibition, folk art and craft fair, art talk, sightseeing, cultural programmes and more.

Former Cultural Affairs Minister Asduzzaman Noor will be present at the inaugural ceremony as the chief guest.

Eminent artist Prof Rafiqun Nabi, Dean of the DU Fine Art Faculty Prof Nisar Hossain, Country Director of UNDP Bangladesh Sudipto Mukerjee and Director of Astrotex Group Tahmina Tanji will attend the programme as special guests.

Advisor of Art Festival 2019 Gazipur and Additional Secretary of the Disaster Management and Relief Ministry Md Mohsin will preside over the programme.

Assistant Professor of Graphic Design Department of DU Harun-ar-Rashid Tutul and Professor of Graphic Design Department Mohammad Eunus were respectively curator and convener of the Art Festival 2019, Gazipur.

Los Angeles, Apr 19 (AP/UNB) —Actor Jason Momoa on Wednesday released a video in which he shaved off his signature beard and mustache in order to promote recycling. He started by saying farewell to his "Game of Thrones" and DC characters Drogo and Arthur Curry.

Momoa said he thought he last shaved in 2012.

The 39-year-old says he wanted to do it to "bring awareness that plastics are killing our planet." He says aluminum is the one thing that can save it and he promoted his own line of sparkling water in aluminum cans.

Momoa says "there's a change coming and it's aluminum."

The Environmental Protection Agency's most current data from 2015 showed nearly 55 percent of aluminum beer and soft drink cans were recycled compared to 30% of plastic bottles.

Los Angeles, Apr 18 (AP/UNB) — Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are officially single, though more work is left before the terms of their divorce are final.

Los Angeles Superior Court documents show that Judge John W. Ouderkirk entered a judgment Friday, saying the couple is no longer married. Her name was also restored to just Jolie, not Jolie Pitt.

The couple's lawyers had asked for a bifurcated judgment, meaning that two married people can be declared single before all issues in the divorce are agreed upon.

It's not clear what issues remain unresolved in the divorce, but Jolie has filed papers saying Pitt wasn't paying sufficient child support, which his attorneys disputed.

The 43-year-old Jolie and the 55-year-old Pitt have six children. They were married in 2014, and Jolie filed for divorce in 2016.

Los Angeles, Apr 17 (AP/UNB) — The first episode of the final season of "Game of Thrones" is a record-breaker for the series and HBO.

The pay channel said the 17.4 million viewers who watched Sunday's episode either on TV or online represent a season-opening high for the fantasy saga.

HBO Now also posted its biggest streaming night ever, the channel said Monday.

The episode topped the 16.1 million who saw the seventh-season premiere and the 16.9 million who watched that season's finale.

Reflecting increasing audience fondness for streaming, HBO saw about a 50 percent increase in online viewing compared to last season's finale. In comparison to the season-seven premiere, the streaming audience nearly doubled.

"Game of Thrones" ultimately averaged 32.8 million viewers per episode last season in cumulative TV and online viewership, HBO said.