Bangladesh is a country proud of its contemporary arts scene – from the late forefathers of modern Bangladeshi art like Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin and Quamrul Hassan, to the new generation of burgeoning talent. With young galleries opening up alongside established art spaces, and events like the Dhaka Art Summit and Asian Art Biennale, contemporary art in Bangladesh is currently enjoying a comeback. What better time to explore capital city Dhaka’s many galleries?
The Athena Gallery of Fine Arts is a non-profit gallery and the brainchild of CEO Nilu Murshed, a devoted art enthusiast and collector who established Athena with the intention of bringing Bangladesh’s arts and culture scene to an international audience. A fairly new addition to the Dhaka contemporary arts community, the Athena Gallery of Fine Arts opened its doors in 2012 and exhibits artists at all stages in their career – from prominent Bangladeshi painters to young artists just starting out. Alongside a number of regular photography and painting exhibitions, Athena Gallery also has a permanent collection of art which includes works by the late Quamrul Hassan, a respected Bangladeshi artist who mixed traditional folk arts with modern cubism.
Another offshoot of the Bengal Foundation, the Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts was established in 2000 to kindle an interest in art in Bangladesh. The gallery also works hard to promote native art and has done so by establishing partnerships with art communities in cities across the world including Tokyo, Toronto and New York. Residing in a beautifully renovated building, the art space is surrounded by a tranquil garden filled with bamboo and fragrant kathal chapa flowers. Recent exhibitions have included Eternal Japan, a series of photographs by Japan-based Bangladeshi journalist Monzurul Huq depicting his perceptions of the Japanese lifestyle, and Shilpacharya and His Outer World of Art, an exhibition celebrating the birth centenary of Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin which featured his work, as well as pieces by his artistically talented family.
Department of Contemporary Art and World Civilisation at Bangladesh National Museum
The Department of Contemporary Art and World Civilisation, launched in 1975, is one of the four curatorial departments at the longstanding Bangladesh National Museum. The Department features seven galleries of paintings, sculptures and tapestries representative of contemporary Bangladeshi art, alongside a number of artefacts of civilisations from across the world, including the USA, China and Egypt. Amongst the Department’s collection of works is art by modern folk artist Quamrul Hassan and internationally renowned painter S.M. Sultan. One gallery is dedicated entirely to Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin, widely considered as the father of modern Bangladeshi art. Beyond its permanent collection of art, the Department also arranges regular exhibitions and plays a leading role in the Asian Art Biennale, a national event that promotes Asian art to international audiences.
Helen Armitage lives near Newcastle upon Tyne in the North East of England where she recently graduated with a Masters in Magazine Journalism. She enjoys writing about culture, pop culture, feminism and film and her favourite destinations are New York City and Dublin. She is about to embark on a three-month placement in Seville, Spain and in the future would love to visit Reykjavik, Vancouver and New York (again).
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