United News of Bangladesh

The three-day unique art workshop on Cyanotype and Gum Bichromate Techniques ‘Alchemy of Light’ concluded on Sunday at Gallery Cosmos, shedding the spotlight on these two alternative photographic printmaking processes, each with unique characteristics and applications. Led by acclaimed artist and educator Juton Chandra Roy, Lecturer at the Department of Printmaking, Faculty of Fine Art, Dhaka University, the workshop brought together 10 Bangladeshi artists from diverse backgrounds: Rashed Sukhon, Naznine Akter, Alia Kamal, Farhana Islam, Sheikh Nahid Hasan, Sharmin Rahman Khan, Sumaita Afrin Shupty, Arup Mandal, Shuvra Talukder, and Bristy Pathan. The concluding day was graced by Cosmos Foundation Chairman, Cosmos Group and Gallery Cosmos Founder and UNB Emeritus Editor Enayetullah Khan; Former Adviser on Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh caretaker government and Cosmos Foundation President Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury; Gallery Cosmos Director Tehmina Enayet; Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD) Director François Grosjean, Vice President of the Cosmos Group and Executive Director of Gallery Cosmos and UNB Nahar Khan, and Dhaka University Faculty of Fine Art Professors Dr Anisuzzaman Anis and Dr Sheikh Mohammad Rokonuzzaman, among others. 'Alchemy of Light': Gallery Cosmos hosts workshop by Juton Chandra Roy “Since the inception of our Gallery Cosmos and Cosmos Atelier-71, a number of art enthusiasts from home and abroad have joined to learn, practice and showcase their artistic power on a regular basis. We organize multiple unique art events and artistic ventures in a calendar year, and this special workshop on Cyanotype and Gum Bichromate Techniques under the title ‘Alchemy of Light’ by acclaimed artist Juton Chandra Roy have been a priority project for us,” Gallery Cosmos Director Tehmina Enayet said on the occasion. “Talented artists from diverse background across the nation joined this workshop including prominent artists-art educators such as Professor Anis, Bishwajit Goswami and others; and they all have enthusiastically learned these relatively new artistic methods together in this workshop, and we will showcase the artworks from the workshop in a future exhibition soon,” she added. While exploring the workshop, Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD) Director François Grosjean praised the initiative, saying it was “very innovative” to organize such a workshop. “From my perspective, it’s particularly commendable as it uses natural colours—creating a dialogue between art and ecology. With this initiative, you are touching something deeply connected to that link. Our imagination in art comes from nature, and it’s important to strengthen that bond,” he told UNB.

Gallery Cosmos, the acclaimed artistic wing and printmaking studio of the Cosmos Foundation, has launched a three-day workshop titled ‘Alchemy of Light’, focusing on the historical Cyanotype and Gum Bichromate techniques. The workshop is being held at Cosmos Atelier71, Cosmos Centre, Malibagh, Dhaka, from June 27 to 29, between 10 am and 5 pm daily. Inaugurated on Friday, June 27 at 10 am, the workshop is being led by acclaimed artist and educator Juton Chandra Roy, Lecturer at the Department of Printmaking, Faculty of Fine Art, Dhaka University. It brings together 10 Bangladeshi artists from diverse backgrounds for an immersive experience in alternative photographic printmaking, blending Cyanotype and Gum Bichromate Techniques. The opening ceremony was graced by Gallery Cosmos Director Tehmina Enayet, along with eminent artist and Dhaka University Faculty of Fine Art Professor Dr Anisuzzaman, DU Faculty of Fine Art Assistant Professor at the Department of Drawing and Painting and Brihatta Art Foundation Co-founder Bishwajit Goswami, Gallery Cosmos Artistic Director Sourav Chowdhury, and the participating artists: Rashed Sukhon, Naznine Akter, Alia Kamal, Farhana Islam, Sheikh Nahid Hasan, Sharmin Rahman Khan, Sumaita Afrin Shupty, Arup Mandal, Shuvra Talukder, and Bristy Pathan. Speaking at the event, Tehmina Enayet reaffirmed the gallery's commitment to multidisciplinary experimentation. “Gallery Cosmos and Cosmos Atelier 71 consistently organize unique and diverse initiatives. This time, we are excited to introduce this unique workshop on Cyanotype and Gum Bichromate—unconventional mediums that allow for vibrant, playful expressions. We believe audiences will enjoy these creations as much as the participants enjoyed making them,” she said, while acknowledging the support of the instructors and fondly remembered the late eminent artist Kalidas Karmakar, under whose vision the gallery was founded. Professor Anisuzzaman praised the workshop’s artistic merit and expressed his longstanding association with the gallery. “My relationship with Gallery Cosmos goes back many years, and I’ve had the pleasure of conducting two workshops here. Juton, the instructor, is my direct student - and I’ve witnessed his dedication to exploring new media, enriched further by his studies at Santiniketan. The works being produced here are a testament to his growth and vision,” he said. ‘Echoes of Existence’: Tarek Amin’s 2nd solo exhibition opens in London Highlighting the novelty of the medium, Bishwajit Goswami said, “This is a very engaging workshop where two techniques are being integrated in creative ways. While Cyanotype is somewhat familiar in our local context, Gum Bichromate remains relatively unknown. As Juton is both a printmaker and educator, and trained in these methods at Santiniketan where they are taken very seriously, this workshop offers an excellent opportunity to learn something new. While we usually focus on image creation, today we are delving into the process behind it—which is equally vital and rewarding. It’s encouraging to see young, emerging artists enjoying this collaborative experience. Gallery Cosmos has always supported such distinctive initiatives, with a strong setup and facilities.” Workshop facilitator Juton Chandra Roy elaborated on the vision behind the workshop, stating: “This workshop stems from the ongoing academic dialogue around alternative art practices, which are crucial. While traditional printmaking often depends on lab-based techniques using specialized tools and chemicals, access to such setups for emerging artists becomes limited after their graduation, and this pushes many artists to explore alternative media.”