The month-long ‘17th Asian Art Biennale Bangladesh 2016’, organised by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA), is set to kick off from December 1. Besides the artists from Asia and Asia Pacific countries, this time around, artists, painters, sculptors and photographers from different branches of arts from 51 countries across the world will take part in the mega event. Right this moment, besides full-fledged preparation centring the forthcoming carnival, the selection of the artworks submitted by the interested artists has been underway.
The purpose of the ‘Asian Art Biennale Bangladesh’ is to assemble and display contemporary artworks of Asia, the Pacific region and some other regions beyond with a mission to exchange cultural diversity in an artistic way between the participating countries under a platform.
Toyomi Hoshina, a Japanese artist who is participating in the fiesta, has expressed satisfaction over the security management in the country as well as at the venue.
With the latest update of the ongoing preparation surrounding Asian Art Biennale, a press conference was organised on Sunday at the auditorium of the National Art Plaza of BSA in the capital’s Segun Bagicha area. BSA director general Liaquat Ali Lucky; convener of artwork selection committee noted artist Dr Farida Zaman; committee members Professor Toyomi Hoshina, former dean and vice president of Tokyo University of Arts, Japan; artist Kalidas Karmakar; Professor Mohammed Eunus, Dr Mohammad Iqbal Ali and architect Mustapha Khalid Palash delivered speeches at Sunday’s press meet.
Professor Toyomi Hoshina said, “Asian Art Biennale is very popular among the Japanese artists. The artists who participated here in the past years earned immense honour in Japan.”
“The recent terrorist attacks in Bangladesh had scared us. I myself was also afraid of the security issue. But after coming here (Bangladesh), I am feeling comfortable. I don’t see any problem”, Toyomi Hoshina said, after observing the security management taken by the government in the country.
This year, a total of 560 Bangladeshi artists and 171 foreign artists have submitted their artworks with the aim of participating in the Asian Art Biennale. Besides, the declaration for open call for online artworks submission globally has been given for the first time.
To note, Asian Art Biennale Bangladesh, since its beginning in 1981, has attempted to display the various artistic endeavours of our time in which continuity and change come together.