Franco-Brazilian printmaker Julia Lebrao Sendra’s solo exhibition ‘Nalini’ began at La Galerie, Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD), Dhanmondi on Tuesday.

Alliance Française de Dhaka and Brihatta Art Foundation jointly organised the exhibition.

The inaugural ceremony of this exhibition was joined by Amandine Roggeman, Cultural Attachée of the French Institute in India as the special guest. Brihatta co-founder and renowned Bangladeshi artist Bishwajit Goswami and Dhaka University Faculty of Fine Art Professor Anisuzzaman Anis were also present at the ceremony, along with the Director of Alliance Francaise Francois Grosjean.

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The exhibition is an outcome of a three-month residency programme held in partnership between Villa Swagatam, Institut Français in Delhi, the French Embassy in Bangladesh, Alliance Française de Dhaka, and Brihatta Art Foundation.

Villa Swagatam, launched in 2023, supports a wide range of artistic disciplines, with a strong emphasis on literature, arts, and crafts. In 2024-2025, the program will expand with collaborations with nearly 30 renowned residencies across France, India, and Bangladesh, creating a unique platform for creativity, fostering mutual understanding, and promoting cross-disciplinary dialogue.

Brihatta Art Foundation, based in Dhaka, is a research-driven, artist-run platform aimed at enhancing the accessibility and visibility of art through community engagement. It serves as a dynamic bridge between artists, craftsmen, local and expat communities, and global practitioners, facilitating workshops, residencies, and art talks to achieve shared artistic goals.

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The main focus of the work is the relationship between riverbank communities and their natural environment, the Buriganga River. The exhibition focuses on the relationship between riverbank communities and the Buriganga River, exploring themes of identity, water, and textiles.

Julia Lebrao Sendra’s work, initially aimed at understanding local healing rituals, shifted after she discovered a deeper issue: a broken connection between the people and the river, symbolizing the concept of ‘Solastalgia’. Coined by philosopher Glenn Albrecht, ‘Solastalgia’ describes people's emotional distress when they can no longer connect to the natural environments they once knew due to climate change and human activities.

This sense of loss is evident in Dhaka, where the relationship with the Buriganga reflects global concerns. Julia's work aims to foster reflection and dialogue as a step toward healing, using symbols, patterns, and colors from her daily life in Dhaka to offer fresh perspectives on the issue.

The exhibition will be open to visitors at AFD till Monday, January 27, every day from 3 pm to 9 pm.