United News of Bangladesh

The solo art exhibition of Singapore-based Bangladeshi young artist Jamil Khan titled ‘Inspiration’ is all set to be inaugurated on Saturday, November 11, at the Garden Gallery, Baridhara, in the capital. The exhibition, thoughtfully titled ‘Inspiration’, mirrors the human journey - a mirror to melancholy, a sanctuary for introspection and a portal to self-discovery. In his latest works, Jamil infuses each artwork with his disposition, their titles echoing the emotions and ambience they encapsulate. Embarking on exploring the intricate interplay between cause and effect, his fresh body of works delves into the nuanced fabric of everyday life - which will be showcased in this exclusive exhibition.

Among all the rebellious social reformers of Bengal in the British-ruled Indian subcontinent before 1947, the year when the subcontinent finally tasted freedom - there was a woman who actively participated in major sociopolitical movements and even trained other women to revolt against the oppressors. Her name was Leelabati Nag, also known as Leela Nag and Leela Roy after her marriage to her spouse Anil Chandra Roy; but she is mostly remembered for another monumental achievement - being the first-ever female student at Dhaka University who snatched her right to study there, when it was not keen to promote or nurture the culture of coeducation, as far back as 1921 - when the institution was founded. Even though this was a remarkable achievement which cemented her name and legacy in history, very few actually know about her other identities - a radical leftist politician, an ardent educationist, a publisher - and a social reformer. “Not only our new generation but also people from the earlier generations and even many knowledgeable and resourceful people are unaware of Leela Nag - since we lack the practice to learn about personalities like her. Most people know very little about Leela Nag, except that she was the first female student at Dhaka University. She was actively involved in several significant radical movements and many political and social initiatives, but very few have adequate knowledge on this,” says Eliza Binte Elahi, a renowned heritage traveller and documentary filmmaker. With the mission to enlighten the enthusiasts about this legendary revolutionary woman, Eliza made “Leelabati Nag: The Rebel” - a documentary film, researched, scripted and produced by Eliza Binte Elahi from “Quest: A Heritage Journey of Bangladesh” and directed by ARM Nasir. In a candid conversation with UNB before the screening of this significant documentary, Eliza said, “When I realized that the next generation, as well as previous/current generations, needed to be informed about Leela Nag, I began studying her. However, very few individuals can elaborately talk about her because in reality, most of those who saw her or observed her actions in person, are not alive.” When the UNB correspondent asked about her motifs for this particular social reformer, Eliza said: “First of all, she was a revolutionary woman, a pioneer leader of the anti-British movement. She was a follower of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, hence she became a great part of the anti-British movements in Bengal.” “Almost everyone knows about Pritilata Waddedar - the revolutionary - but only a handful know that Pritilata was a student of Leela Nag. She guided everything and provided training to Pritilata and otherwomen, and she was able to do so because she had been battling against the anti-British movement from long ago.” “Additionally,” Eliza continued, “Leela Nag was also a pioneer figure in social movements - particularly women's awakening during her time. We know that the pioneer Begum Rokeya worked on women's education, but Leela Nag was also an active educationist; who initiated twelve schools for women of her time, and she guided them to become self-reliant.” Talking about how Leela Nag was socially engaged, Eliza mentioned that under Leela’s editorship, a magazine titled 'Jayashree' was launched in 1931, with its initial headquarters in Dhaka, presently in Kolkata. “In addition, Leela Nag founded the first women's community in this subcontinent, the ‘Deepali Sangha.’ The present Bangladesh Mahila Parishad which was founded by late eminent poet Sufia Kamal, is considered to be the subsequent offshoot of this particular community. When discussing women's groups, leadership, and awakening in this subcontinent, Deepali Sangha must be credited as the driving force.” That being said, the name of this revolutionary woman is only being remembered these days for debuting co-education at Dhaka University, and that triggered Eliza to move forward with this exclusive project - of course, with a lot of hurdles. “I began my research about this documentary in late 2022 and collected as much information as possible from all existing resources in both Bangladesh and Kolkata. The problem is that it was way too hard to find relevant people who could share some memories about her; the other problem was that almost every property that she founded (schools, and even her own ancestral house) - are in different hands nowadays.” However, the quest of Eliza did not stop there as she went to Kolkata and was able to interview Bijay Nag, Leela Nag’s son - now 89 years old. “We also talked to her other relatives and associates in Kolkata, and tried to accumulate as much information as possible because this is a documentary, it should contain these valuable insights,” Eliza told UNB. One of the disciples of Leela Nag is the eminent researcher, essayist, cultural personality and Liberation War Museum trustee Mofidul Hoque. Not only did he appear in this documentary and share his knowledge regarding the social reformist, but the museum also actively supported Eliza throughout this documentary with post-production facilities.

At the Brihatta Art Foundation in the capital’s Hazaribagh, an exclusive solo exhibition of Belgian artist Koen Vanmechelen titled "Dream of Human Nature" began on Saturday. The interactive exhibition, organised and hosted by Brihatta Art Foundation and curated by renowned Bangladeshi artist and art educator Bishwajit Goswami, is a convergence of art, science and community that invites visitors to actively discover nature as a library of knowledge. With this exhibition, the visiting Belgian artist Vanmechelen unveils the essence of his ongoing Cosmopolitan Chicken Project (CCP). The project is an ongoing trans-disciplinary art project starting in the late 1990s which aims to create a hybrid of “all races of chicken in the world.” This exclusive exhibition is an invitation to learn more from nature regarding the existence of human beings and how people can dream and create a more sustainable future. Brihatta Art Foundation, a research-based young artist-run platform based in Dhaka with a strong focus on community development and collaboration, invited Koen Vanmechelen for this fall exhibition. Vanmechelen has been working for over 20 years at the intersection of art, community, and science. Red: ‘Songs of Soul': 3rd solo exhibition of Zahangir Alom begins at Alliance Française His passion is based on the belief in art as a driver of mutual understanding and as a guide in the search for answers to the significant challenges of the 21st century, the relationship between nature and culture, and, in particular, the development of sustainable communities. "I embrace my role as an artist in shaping a harmonious world,” Vanmechelen stated regarding the exhibition. “The exhibition's intricate tapestry celebrates humanity's diversity, inspiring us to cherish our dreams with a mindful perspective of our nature.” “In this convergence of art, science, and community, I find hope for a future built on unity and understanding. And I hope visitors will experience the same," he said. Vanmechelen is thrilled to exhibit in Bangladesh for the first time, saying, "It is a fascinating place of ancient civilisations and enormous biocultural hybridity. Through genetics and collaborative art, the exhibition reflects our interconnectedness and calls for sustainable coexistence.” Read: Rezaul Hoque's solo exhibition ‘Living on the Edge’ begins

The third solo art exhibition of Zahangir Alom titled ‘Songs of Soul’ began at La Galerie, Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD). Zahangir worked as a "resident artist" of Oriental Painting Studio for a long time and developed his own style of watercolour wash technique. Ebru art exhibition hosted by Turkish Embassy held in Dhaka The maturity of his colour mixing is the unique quality of his painting. Some of his works are semi-abstract, and the mature arrangement of colours in the painting can be seen in conjunction with the maturity of his senses. The melody of the music, the rhythm of the poem, and the dance of the female body are alluded to in his paintings. Sometimes "Gaudiya Nritya", sometimes "Desh", sometimes "Bageshree", sometimes "Khamaj" or ‘Malkauns" raga; sometimes the play of clouds; sometimes the afternoon of late-autumn; sometimes magical twilight; sometimes the beauty of Bengal; sometimes "Leelakirtan"; sometimes the subject-narrative of mythological anecdotes play in his paintings. Rezaul Hoque's solo exhibition ‘Living on the Edge’ begins He paints many images of flowers that are different from real flowers. Here, the colour comes with the charming message of form. The itinerant artist’s work celebrates visible nature, but his view of nature is not a close-up view. He made a series of paintings based on the motifs of Bengal’s "Sarachitra", mixed with the new language of Bengali folk paintings. The inner flowers, female figures, trees, and foliage are arranged in an imagined alchemy, and although the painting is a traditional wash method, it is full of three-dimensional mixed-colour play. Group exhibition of late great Kalidas and his brothers begins on artist's 4th death anniversary This exhibition includes works in the watercolour wash technique. The shape of the figure is similar to a heap of clouds in the movement of colours, and while there is no attempt at clarification, the figures (mostly female figures) appear as real flesh figures. This skill has been acquired through his long practice and watching the work of oriental artists in the studio. In most of his works, he has used red, blue, yellow, orange, and black colours with the same brightness. There remains the expanse of standing trees, the glimmer of light through the gaps in the trees, and the evocative silhouettes of childhood memories in his paintings. Almost every work has a touch of blue. The monsoon, rain-drenched nature, the smell of the earth, and the colour of the air are saturated in the melody of nature’s music. Anis A Khan, Member, board of governors at the Society for Promotion of Bangladesh Art; Prof Mohammad Eunus, chairman of Art Bangla Foundation; Zareen Mahmud Hosein, director of Shasha Denims Limited and Prof Dr Malay Bala of Department of Oriental Art, Faculty of Fine Art at Dhaka University attended the event as special guests. The exhibition will be open to all until Saturday, November 11, from Monday to Saturday, 3 to 9 pm.

Gallery Cosmos, a renowned platform supporting Bangladeshi art and artists, honoured the 2023 Ekushey Padak recipient and eminent artist Kanak Chanpa Chakma on Monday night. The felicitation event was hosted by Gallery Cosmos at the Garden Gallery, Baridhara, in Dhaka. Chaired by Gallery Cosmos Director Tehmina Enayet, the event was joined by distinguished personalities including renowned Bangladeshi industrialist and patron of arts, Anjan Chowdhury; Ekushey Padak recipient artist-academician Jamal Uddin Ahmed; Cosmos Foundation Director Dilshad Rahman and others. Read: Yunnan Arts University delegation visits Gallery Cosmos, Atelier71 Born in Rangamati’s remote hill area Tabal Chari, Kanak Chanpa received her Master of Fine Arts degree in 1986 from the Faculty of Fine Arts, Dhaka University. She then attended Pennsylvania State University in the US from 1993 to 1994, where she was awarded a Mid-America Arts Alliance Fellowship. Having completed her degree, she came back to Bangladesh, continued her artistic journey and became one of the most successful artists in the country’s contemporary art scene. “Art is an expression of our emotions, thoughts, inspiration, and desires. These visions of art become even more majestic through the works of Kanak Chanpa Chakma, who is like a sister to me,” Gallery Cosmos Director Tehmina Enayet said at the ceremony. Read: ‘Introspect’: Suborna Morsheada's fourth solo exhibition at AFD begins "Kanak Chanpa is considered one of the most distinguished artists in Bangladesh today, and her art has gained recognition around the world. Many of her paintings reflect the vibrant lives of the Chakma community," Tehmina Enayet said.

'Short by Short', a platform, has organised a district-focused photo sharing competition to win brand new motorbike and iPhone 14. Selected photos from each district will be published on the social media platform of facebook.com/tomarchokhebangladesh, according to a press release. Read: Yunnan Arts University delegation visits Gallery Cosmos, Atelier71 The page 'Tomar Chokhe Bangladesh' has been promoting the natural beauty of rural areas, including rivers, green fields, the simple lives of people, and even the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant to identify districts. To showcase these images globally, the platform has organized a photo contest, with a chance to win a brand new motorbike, iPhone 14 and other attractive prizes. To participate in the contest, interested individuals should fill up the form and attach three photos of nature and the development of the districts. The form is at: https://rb.gy/pw2sa. Anyone can participate in this competition and present Bangladesh as seen through their eyes. Sixty-four people selected from 64 districts will get one iPhone 14 each. The process of selecting the winner is also quite novel. To select winners, 80 percent of the score will be based on audience likes, comment shares, and 20 percent from the judges. After the district-wise competition, 64 winners from 64 districts will participate in the divisional competition. Later, 8 people from the divisional stage will compete to become the best in the country. The contest will continue till October 25. Short by Short team leader Abu Raihan Jewel said the photos highlighting development of Bangladesh are rare on the internet. "The development that has taken place in Bangladesh in the last few years, however... those pictures are not always in front of our eyes. This competition has been organised so that you can easily find pictures from all over Bangladesh," he said. Read: ‘Introspect’: Suborna Morsheada's fourth solo exhibition at AFD begins Jewel said that any citizen of Bangladesh can participate in this competition by sending photos taken with a phone, camera, or any other device. He also said that photos uploaded previously on social media, or any other platform cannot be sent to this competition. The images submitted for the competition must also be copyright-free.

Celebrating the soulful happiness that art offers to humanity, the Turkish Embassy in Dhaka hosted the works of renowned Bangladeshi artists in the unique group exhibition 'Smiles Around the World: An Artistic Celebration' on Saturday at the Turkish Residence, Baridhara Diplomatic Zone in the capital. Eight prominent Bangladeshi artists participated in this exclusive exhibition, which will showcase three unique works made in different mediums by each of the eight artists: Abdus Shaqoor Shah, Kanak Chanpa Chakma, Mohammad Iqbal, Anisuzzaman Anis, Anukul Majumder, Bishwajit Goswami, Azmeer Hossain, and Sourav Chowdhury. In total, the exhibition showcased 24 artworks of these esteemed artists. Hosted by Turkish Ambassador to Dhaka Ramis Şen, the day-long exhibition was joined by art admirers and dignitaries from home and abroad. Cosmos Foundation Director Dilshad Rahman joined the event as the special guest.

Marking the occasion of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's 77th birthday, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy launched a day-long art camp titled "Unnoyoner Charushilpa" with the participation of prominent artists on the Academy's open premises on Thursday. The art camp was inaugurated by Cultural Affairs secretary Khalil Ahmed who joined the inauguration ceremony of the camp as the chief guest. Emeritus Professor and eminent artist Hashem Khan was present as the special guest. Also read: BSA opens painting exhibition marking PM Sheikh Hasina's 77th birthday The programme was presided over by BSA’s director general Liaquat Ali Lucky. BSA secretary Salahuddin Ahmed and BSA Fine Arts Department director Syeda Mahbuba Karim were also present at the ceremony. The day-long art camp was coordinated by artist-educator Anisuzzaman, assistant professor of the Faculty of Fine Art, Dhaka University. Also read: Over 1100 video contents are published on govt’s achievements to mark PM Hasina’s birthday

A visiting group of art educators representing the School of Design at Yunnan Arts University in China visited the Atelier71 and Gallery Cosmos, the printmaking studio and artistic space of the Cosmos Foundation, at Cosmos Centre in the capital’s Malibagh. During the studio and gallery tour on Monday, the art educators explored the gallery and atelier and visited the rich collection of artistic pieces, including paintings, artworks, books, and sculptures. Also read: Two-day exclusive art camp ‘Splendours of Bangladesh’ concludes at Gallery Cosmos Later, the Cosmos Foundation hosted a dinner event in honour of the visiting Chinese art delegates. Cosmos Atelier71 and Gallery Cosmos Director Tehmina Enayet greeted the Yunnan University art educators and exchanged artistic visions with each other, while Gallery Cosmos Artistic Director Sourav Chowdhury guided the studio and gallery tour, sharing the artistic initiatives. Six educators represented the Design School of Yunnan Arts University at the tour, including Wan Fan, dean of the Design School; Chen Jun, deputy director of the Visual Communication Department; Zou Zhou, director of the Environment Design Department; Peng Yao, director of the Costume Design Department; Liu Enpeng, deputy director of the Digital Media Department; and Zhang Linyi, assistant professor of Product Design. Bangladeshi artist Mong Mong Sho, lecturer of the Watercolour Department, Fine Art Faculty at Yunnan Arts University, led the studio and gallery tour for the Chinese art delegates. Also read: 'BRAVEHEART’: Gallery Cosmos pays rich artistic tribute to Bangabandhu

Jamuna Television’s senior reporter Shakil Hasan and filmmaker Masudur Rahman have been conferred with the first-ever 'Mishuk Munier Smrity Puroshkar' (commemorative award) on Sunday. In honour of the late eminent Bangladeshi journalist and educator, the award was handed to the winners in two categories.  A visit to remember: Rahul Ananda welcomes French President Emmanuel Macron at his home Shakil Hasan was named winner in the audio-visual category for his investigative report on the illegal encroachment in Lawachara National Park, while Masudur Rahman received the award for his film “Unrecognised”.  On Sunday night, the award ceremony was held at the National Museum’s Poet Sufia Kamal Auditorium. The event was organized by Lily-Munier Smrity Raksha Trust and was attended by freedom fighter, filmmaker and cultural activist Nasiruddin Yousuff, and noted filmmaker Morshedul Islam. ‘The Reflection of Endless Mystery’: Nabaraj Roy's first solo exhibition opens at AFD Presided over by the advisor of the trust and cultural personality Ramendu Majumdar, the event was moderated by actress Tropa Majumdar and the winners were announced by Dhaka University professor of mass communication and journalism department, Gitiara Nasreen.  Shedding light on Mishuk Munier’s life and works at the ceremony, Nasiruddin Yousuff said, “Mishuk Munier was a revolutionary broadcast journalist who made a strong impact with Ekushey Television that changed the landscape for broadcast journalism in the country. Simultaneously, he was a prolific educator both in and outside of his classes.” 7 best books on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Award recipient journalist Shakil Hasan said, “I attempted to show what occurred and where it happened, through my report. I did that by delving deeper and deeper into that realm and utilising my personal integrity, and I am truly happy to receive this accolade named after the great broadcast journalist Mishuk Munier.” The awardees were selected by a five-member jury board consisting of renowned educator, communication expert and editor of the daily Ajker Patrika Professor Dr Golam Rahman, director and screenwriter Shamim Akhtar, Chief Executive Officer of Global Television Syed Ishtiaque Reza, head of the Department of Media and Communication at Independent University Bangladesh (IUB) Zakir Hossain Raju and Dr Gitiara Nasreen.