Venice Biennale opens to public

Source: BBC

The Venice Biennale-- the world's oldest and most high-profile contemporary art exhibition-- is opening its doors to the public.

It was founded in 1895 to celebrate new developments in international art.

National pavilions were built in the Giardini - or public gardens - to house exhibitions from each participating country's chosen artists.But as more and more countries wish to take part, the Biennale has spread across the Italian city.

It has been described as the Olympic games of the art world - 77 countries from Armenia to Venezuela are showcasing the work of their leading artists.All are hoping to win the top prize - the Golden Lion.

The United Arab Emirates is one of several nations taking part in the Biennale for the first time with an exhibition curated by Tirdad Zolghadr.

"I think it's important for artists, critics, curators, to be able to point to a pavilion and to say, look, this has accomplished something at a place like the Venice Biennale, let's take this seriously here in the country too," Zolghadr says.

Just a boat ride away are hundreds more exhibitions, spread all over Venice.There is also a larger, more far-reaching, international show that has been organised this year by Swedish curator Daniel Birnbaum.

"With all the big museums and all the art fairs and festivals and triennales, still the Biennale has this attraction. It has magnetism," Birnbaum says.

"The Venice Biennale is not here to be loved, it's here to be discussed. And if people keep coming back to discuss it, that's the best result that we can have," he says.

There are plenty of familiar sights and sounds in Venice too, like the cafe orchestras in Piazza San Marco.

Whatever else, the Biennale offers an unprecedented opportunity to see vast amounts of modern art in one of the world's most historic cities.

Oriental paintings at Zainul Gallery

Rahad Abir / May 11, 2009

A group painting exhibition, organised by the ‘Oriental Painting Study Group’ is being held at Zainul Gallery of the Faculty of Fine Arts of Dhaka University. The exhibition, inaugurated by Professor Abdus Sattar, the head of Oriental Art department on May 8, will remain open from 11:00am to 8:00pm till May 15.

Twenty one members of the group have participated for the first time in the exhibition and are displaying 27 of their artworks. Among the participants, Malay Bala, a teacher of the Oriental Art department, is displaying the painting ‘Shakuntala-13’. The largest wash painting in the exhibition is based on the greatest Sanskrit poet Kalidas’ protagonist Shakuntala. The painting shows Shakuntala deeply involved with her companions in the forest.

Including eleven wash paintings there are also some artworks in watercolour, oil on canvas, miniature painting, calligraphy, charcoal, poster colour, pencil drawings and mixed media in the exhibition. Most of the paintings have women, plants, portraits, still life and moments of life as their themes.

Purnima Mondal presents an artwork titled ‘Indian Miniature’ and Asrafa Siddiqua has worked on calligraphy. Sinthia Arefin’s ‘Conversation’ on pencil drawing, Sumon Baidya’s ‘Tea Stall’ on watercolour and Khairunnesa Tushi’s ‘The story of shoe’ on mixed media draw the attention of the viewers.

Source: http://www.newagebd.com

Exhibition of Bangladeshi painters in South Korea

By Takir Hossain / May 10, 2009

The Bangladesh Embassy in South Korea and Korean Foundation are jointly organising an exhibition of 11 Bangladeshi painters at the Korea Foundation Cultural Centre. The exhibition will feature 100 paintings by the renowned artists.

The participating painters are Mohammad Kibria, Rafiqun Nabi, Mahmudul Haque, Kalidas Karmakar, Abdus Shakoor Shah, Shahabuddin Ahmed, Monsurul Karim, Ranjit Das, Mohammad Eunus, Rokeya Sultana and Kanak Chanpa Chakma. The exhibition aims to introduce the best of contemporary Bangladeshi art to the Korean enthusiasts.Mohammad Kibria, the senior most painters in the group, likes to experiment with geometric forms, lines and texture. Use of space is a vital feature of his works. He meticulously creates space that denotes solitude and serenity. His "Untitled" is a piece of oil that creates an impression of being absolutely alone.

Rafiqun Nabi is well known for his paintings, woodcut prints and drawings. His paintings delightfully project the tranquil ambience of nature and its unparalleled beauty. The artist likes to use azure, yellow, ochre, red, black and emerald green -- representing rural Bengal. The colours give a torrential and imposing feel. Nabi does figurative work, painting rural folk, fishermen, kingfishers, broken bridges, buffaloes, boats, crows, wild flowers, people at leisure and gossiping. The artist arranges motifs in different combinations of light and shade.

Mahmudul Haque has had a penchant for compositions and forms for a significant part of his artistic career. His works delve into the imaginary world and are remarkable for the artist's signature turquoise blue and emerald green compositions.Folk ballads from the "Mymensingh Geetika" -- Mahua, Malua; "Nakshi Kanthar Maath," "Gazir Pat" and "Manosha Pat" are recurring themes of Abdus Shakoor Shah's paintings. His works denote male-female figures, animals, birds and reptiles. The artist usually focuses on the expressions on female faces, especially the eyes.Shahabuddin Ahmed lives and works in Paris. A figurative painter, his canvases explore the inner power of humans and he charges them with his bold brush strokes and vibrant colour. Liberation War, human pain, suffering and their struggle always reappear in his large sized canvas. He uses space to increasingly interact with figures. His space is very open and broad so that he can easily communicate between his themes and space.

Ranjit Das is celebrated for his flamboyant style and thought-provoking themes. From the beginning, Ranjit's works have been close to the rustic areas and the pastoral way of life. A large number of Ranjit's works depict villagers' passion, pain, pleasure, bliss, contentment and dreams. He also portrays some familiar animals with villagers which bring a distinct look on his canvas. His works give the viewer a real picture of our socio-political and economic structure. A figurative painter, Ranjit's works are distinguished for their disciplined, mindful and imposing use of colour with the compositions of semi-abstract and symbolic patterns.Mohammad Eunus delves into pure abstract images. He frequently changes the arrangement of his form and composition. At the exhibition, it is very difficult to identify his personal hallmark. An artist should have a line, form and texture which help him to provide a personal touch to his works. 

Monsur Ul Karim closely observes Padma's character and changes in its course. The river has its unique way of life but riverbank erosion is an endemic and frequent phenomenon, decimating landmarks, villages and communities. Monsur's theme is simple and he delves deep into it. He uses bright and lively colours to denote the river and its milieu. Blue, red, yellow, emerald-green and yellowish-brown dominate the images. Visions include sailing boats, fishing nets, clouds, monsoon, the changing tides, erosion of riverbanks and the displacement of people. Monsur has demonstrated his unparalleled style.

The exhibition ends on May 16.

Source: http://www.thedailystar.net

Kazi Salahuddin’s exhibition begins in city

Cultural Correspondent / May 10, 2009

The inauguration of the two-week solo painting exhibition, titled 'Urban Delight', which showcases the works of artist Kazi Salahuddin Ahmed, was held at the Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts on May 7. His works delve into the pleasure, enjoyment and various changing moods of the city-Dhaka. He closely observes the city's structural design, buildings and architectural view. 

Chairman of the University Grants Commission, Professor Nazrul Islam inaugurated the exhibition. A total of 58 artworks of Kazi Salahuddin Ahmed are on display in the exhibition.

The exhibition ends on May 20.

Source: http://www.thedailystar.net

Exhibition of Bangladeshi painters in South Korea

Cultural Correspondent / May 6, 2009

The Bangladesh Embassy in South Korea and Korean Foundation are jointly organising an exhibition of eleven Bangladeshi painters at the Korea Foundation Cultural Centre. The exhibition will display around 100 paintings by eleven renowned Bangladeshi artists. 

The participating painters are Mohammad Kibria, Rafiquan Nabi, Mahmudul Haque, Kalidas Karmakar, Abdus Shakoor Shah, Shahabuddin Ahmed, Monsurul Karim, Ranjit das, Mohammad Eunus, Rokeya Sultana and Kanak Chanpa Chakma. The exhibition aims to introduce the best of contemporary Bangladeshi art to the Korean enthusiasts. The exhibition will feature pure abstract, semi-realistic, semi-abstract and folk-themed paintings. All participating artists have had solo and group exhibitions in the country and abroad. 

This will be one of the biggest exhibitions of Bangladeshi art in Seoul. Korean painters and art connoisseurs have expressed keenness on Bangladeshi art and culture, indicated by their frequent participation in the Asian Biennale held in Dhaka. The exhibition will be inaugurated on May 8 and will continue till May 16.

Source: http://www.thedailystar.net

Space & Decor at Kaya

By Khamin / May 6, 2009

A dual art exhibition titled ‘Space & Decor’ by Bishwajit Paul and Raton Sarker is being held at Gallery Kaya in Uttara. The exhibition was inaugurated on May 1 and will remain open from 11:00am to 8:00pm till May 12.

Fifty-seven artworks including seven sculptures are being displayed at the gallery. Fifty artworks are made of terracotta, glazed ceramics and engraved wood and the sculptures are made of cement casting and wood.

The artwork titled ‘Dressing-2’, ‘Face & Masks’, ‘Love’, ‘Family’, ‘Oppression’, ‘Ador’, ‘Daughter-Wife-Mother’, ‘Savagery-2’ and ‘Resurrection’ are among fifty artworks of Bishwajit Paul. In his artworks Paul has tried to present the emotion of people and their different activities in society.

His terracotta artwork titled ‘Snake Charmers’ draws viewers’ attention. Two bede women are walking to market for displaying the snakes.The artist Bishwajit Paul has worked on terracotta and the sculptor Raton Sarker has worked for his seven sculptures in detail by the cement casting.

The sculptor Sarker has presented women and children in different modes which are made of cement casting. His sculptures include ‘On the way of light’, ‘Woman in nature’, and ‘Just after bath’.In his work titled ‘Replica-4’ three Children are playing in water. The sculptor has tried to describe a haven for the Children.

Both artists have completed their Bachelor of Fine Arts from Rajshahi University and have completed their Master of Fine Arts from India.

Source: http://www.newagebd.com

Trying to make sense out of nonsense

Installation by two up and coming artists at Drik

Karim Waheed / May 6, 2009

Opening the door to the gallery on the second floor of Drik (in Dhanmondi), a gargantuan human form -- made of 5,000 shoe soles -- stretched across the whole floor baffles and awes one. Big labels with words "abstraction," "power," "policy," "decency," "ethics" etc make one stop and contemplate. Initial impact is bold.

Installation exhibitions in Bangladesh are still few and far between. Perhaps, because of that lack of exposure, art enthusiasts here are unhesitatingly keen on art installation. The ongoing exhibition featuring concepts and works by two up and coming artists -- Faiza Faria Ahmed and Golam Dastagir -- at Drik Gallery seems to have garnered positive attention and interest. 

Titled "Sense of Being Nonsense," the display includes installation, paintings (mixed-media) and live performance. 

Faiza, a printmaking graduate from Faculty of Fine Arts (FFA), Dhaka University who is currently doing her masters on Development Studies, says that she believes art should be brought out of the snazzy, air conditioned galleries and incorporated into everyday life, in particular, aspects like generating awareness. But she also admits that she is not yet liberated from the unavoidable human trait, duality. Though she intends to get involved in social development through her art, as an artist she wants exposure too. Her concept and installation at the exhibition highlights her relentless efforts to break free from the buzzwords used in development studies. This is an endeavour to combine her fields of study. 

Outsized green bubbles -- made of newspaper and toilet paper -- hover over the human form (mentioned previously). "They represent elements of the soul," says Faiza. In her paintings, done on pieces of thrown-away cardboard boxes, she has used black and sand. Dastagir, the other participating artist, is also an FFA graduate. His concept and work employs everyday objects in an artistic layout, introducing life and beauty to previously uninspiring objects.

According to Dastagir, the inspiration for his artwork has been drawn from the local urban environment. Bottles with plastic funnels form rows on the floor. The ones with green funnels have organic objects in them, red funnels denote hazardous chemicals, while some bottles which no funnel are meant for the viewers to contribute to. An accompanying painting shows a human with an exhaust pipe attached as a breathing apparatus.The artist hopes that presenting mundane, familiar objects in this way would promote discussions on a range of issues and how art coincides with the society. The installation challenges the viewer to analyse how we treat our environment and re-consider our concept of “waste.”

Harvest Rich has partially sponsored the exhibition and Jaago Foundation (through Adcom) has provided assistance. The exhibition ends today.

Source: http://www.thedailystar.net

Rhythm of Colours : Bangladeshi painters shine in Dubai

By Takir Hossain, April 7, 2009

Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts has organised a group art exhibition, titled “Rhythm of Colours,” at Hunar Art Gallery, Dubai. The exhibition features works of seven Bangladeshi painters: Qayyum Chowdhury, Hashem Khan, Rafiqun Nabi, Monirul Islam, Nazlee Laila Mansur, Ranjit Das and Maksuda Iqbal Nipa.

Vibrant colours, profound strokes and the characteristic green that defines Bangladesh are vital elements of Hashem Khan's paintings. Khan has contributed immensely to our art for over 40 years. Most of his works are done in oil and some are in acrylic. The dominant features in his works are the lives of the masses, fishing in the rivers, village belles, 'pitha' (rice cakes) making, cultivation in the alluvial soil, rich harvest, boats with sails floating on the rivers, moonlit night and more that define the pastoral life. Various abstract forms also find a place on his canvas. The artist is fastidious about his use of space, which gives an outstanding depth to his work.Rafiqun Nabi is well known for his paintings, woodcut prints and drawings. His paintings delightfully project the serene ambience of nature. Colours usually used by the artist are azure, yellow, ochre, red, black and emerald green -- representing rural Bengal. The colours give a torrential and imposing feel. Nabi does figurative work, painting rural folk, fishermen, kingfishers, broken bridges, buffaloes, boats, crows, wild flowers, people at leisure and gossiping. His landscapes transport the viewer to a higher realm. The artist arranges motifs in different combinations of light and shade.Monirul Islam is easily recognised as he can interpret life's diverse dimensions with his unparallel style, techniques and arrangement where colours, lines, textures and forms blend in synchronisation. His works generally highlight a dominance of mixed media, watercolour, oil, collage and acrylic. When Monir visits Bangladesh, he uses paper (a particular uneven kind that's used in packing baked food or sweets) as his medium and corrugated board. His lines are very provocative and define new dimensions. At times His works appear technique-oriented. Hope, memory, dreams, nightmares and yearning are common themes in Monir's works. 

Ranjit Das is celebrated for his flamboyant style and thought-provoking themes. From the beginning, Ranjit's works have been close to the bucolic countryside and the rural way of life. A large number of Ranjit's works depict villagers with domesticated and, often, wild animals. Their passion, pain, pleasure, bliss, contentment and dreams emerge on his canvas. All his works have in the background a story, which is familiar to us. His works give the viewer a real picture of our socio-political and economic structure. A figurative painter, Ranjit's works are distinguished for their disciplined, mindful and imposing use of colour with the compositions of semi-abstract and symbolic patterns.Maksuda Iqbal (affectionately known as Nipa) is an upcoming painter who has been trying to carve a niche in our arena of art. She likes to experiment with colour in all its various facets. Texture gives a distinct look to her work. Nipa applies colour directly, piling up thick layers on the canvas. She concentrates more on the application aspect. This creates a hallmark for her canvas.

The exhibition ends on April 9.

Source: http://www.thedailystar.net

Sanat Kar’s satirical images

By Takir Hossain / April 6, 2009

Sanat Kar is one of the noted figures in Indian printmaking. He has added a new dimension and given a novel look to contemporary Indian art. Kar was born in 1935 and grew up in Calcutta (Kolkata). Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts in Dhaka has organised a solo exhibition of Sanat Kar, now on at Bengal Gallery in Dhanmondi. 

During Kar's formative years in the '50s, in the Calcutta art circuit, the blossoming of Indian art was in full swing. Kar and his comrades formed a group called 'The Artists' Circle.' Kar established himself in the contemporary printmaking medium in West Bengal. He began experimenting with etching in the early '60s and created various images with innovative thoughts. NEXT>>>>>

Source: http://www.thedailystar.net