19th Asian Art Biennale ends
Amidst the shivering cold in the capital, there was a long line of young, cheerful girls and boys on the premises of the Bangladesh Shilapakala Academy, to attend the last day of the month-long 19th Asian Art Biennale today. The closing ceremony of the exhibition was held at the National Theater Hall of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA).
Presided over by BSA Director General Liaquat Ali Lucky, the chief guest of the event was Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury.
The ceremony was also attended by State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid, Ministry of Cultural Affairs Secretary Abul Monsur, noted artist Monirul Islam, and Shahbuddin Ahmed as special guests.
The closing ceremony started with a wonderful introductory video of the 19th Asian Art Biennale, where it was shown how the exhibition brought together 493 artists from 114 countries all over the world. The foreign artists expressed their love and gratitude in the video. They also called the Asian Art Biennale to be the second largest art biennale in the world, after Venice.
"The biggest achievement of this year's Asian Art Biennale was the participation of 114 countries from all over the world. I hope Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy continues to enrich the young people of our country through its different exhibitions and programs," said Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury.
Echoing the same sentiment, eminent artist Shahbuddin Ahmed said, "I have been to many art exhibitions and art biennales of different countries. However, I smell the essence of my motherland through the Asian Art Biennale, organised by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. This smell reminds me of the rich culture of our country."
"Through this exhibition, our country's name is spreading beyond the home, and that's our ultimate success," he added.
"The Asian Art Biennale is so popular among the youth that the line to enter the premises reached up to the main road every day. This proves today's generation has that thirst for the arts and culture of our country," said Liaquat Ali Lucky.
He also stated that they will arrange the exhibition for two months instead of one month next year.
Followed by the speech giving, there was also a short cultural segment where the performers from the Bangladesh Shilapkala Academy displayed the plight and pain of leaving the motherland of Rohingya people through their performance titled "Rohingyanama".
The Asian Art Biennale Bangladesh exhibited two and three-dimensional artworks including paintings, prints, photographs, sculptures, installations, and new media arts.
This art exhibition is one of the most popular art exhibitions in the country among young people. The exhibition was jam-packed the whole month with young boys and girls who came to visit with their friends and family. They were seen dressed up in traditional wear, clicking photos with the artworks.
"I visited this place at least three times with my friends and family. Although I am not an art enthusiast, this exhibition is very fun and thought-provoking. It's sad that now I have to wait another year to enjoy this exhibition again," said Turanur Islam, a student at Dhaka University.
Maria, who came to visit the Asian Art Biennale with her younger sister, thinks that these types of exhibitions can really make the youth interested in the arts and culture instead of glued over cell phones.
This year the theme of the exhibition was "Home and Displacement." Famous artists from different countries portrayed the gut-wrenching pain of leaving the motherland through their artworks. The artworks also depicted the anguish and plight of refugees all over the world.
The month-long art exhibition displays two- and three-dimensional artworks, including paintings, prints, photographs, sculptures, installations, and new media arts.
Apart from this, the exhibition featured interesting segments including- Children's corner, an International art camp, Seminars (Home and Displacement), Bangabandhu and Liberation War, performance arts, sculptures, painting exhibitions, installation art, and new media, among others.