Art critic Marek Bartelik speaks at Shilpakala Academy

Internationally acclaimed art critic Marek Bartelik gave his first lecture on “The Emerging Paradigm in the Asian Biennales” at the National Art Gallery auditorium of Shilpakala Academy recently.

Marek, a globetrotting critic based in New York and also the President of International Association of Art Critics (AICA), gave three lectures in Dhaka as part of “The Visiting Art Critic Talk Programme” of Depart, a biannual art magazine.

Marek's lectures are part of an ongoing series of seminars Depart has conceived with the aim of expanding the disciplinary knowledge in the context of today's global art practices.

His talks revolved around the idea of a biennale as an enlightenment project, which, he believes, has been replicated across Asia without much thought. Marek concluded his session with the resolve that in order to benefit the emerging artists, Asia must learn from the best examples for creating a balance between the local knowledge and the global surge for new art.  

Though this is Marek's first ever visit to Bangladesh, he is familiar with the region. He has been in Colombo, Sri Lnaka, in 2013, as part of the organizing team and a critic presenting a paper during the international AICA seminar on art and gender representation

The second lecture took place at the Goethe Institut on January 6, where he shared his experience as an art critic writing for 'Artforum' and covering exhibitions for that publication from over 25 countries.

The 3rd lecture of the series will take place today at Sufia Kamal Auditorium of Bangladesh National Museum. The lecture, being arranged in collaboration with the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka, is centered on the state of the Biennales in Asia.