After witnessing the ‘Dhaka Art Summit’--one of the biggest art venture held  in February this year, the art enthusiasts are now going to attend another mega event titled ‘17th Asian Art Biennale Bangladesh 2016’, which comes back in Dhaka every two years. The month-long event will kick off on December 1 at National Art Gallery of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) in the capital’s Segun Bagicha.
Like previous years, supported by Cultural Ministry of Bangladesh, BSA is organising the country’s biggest art exhibition.
Presided over by BSA Director General Liaquat Ali Lucky, Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith will inaugurate the exhibition at BSA as chief guest while Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor and Cultural Affairs Secretary Begum Akhtari Momtaz will be present as special guests at the opening ceremony.
As many as 54 countries from Asia and Pacific Ocean will participate in the exhibition. A total of 260 artworks by 150 artists from Bangladesh and other 53 countries will be displayed in the exhibition.
A total number of 556 artists from Bangladesh submitted their artwork for entering into the exhibition and among them 154 artworks by 148 artists have been selected by the selection committee for the exhibition. On the other hand, 53 artworks by 54 invited artists from Bangladesh will be displayed in the exhibition.
On the other hand, about 145 artists, art critics and museum curator will participate from the participating country in the event.
For the Bangladesh part, a selection committee was formed, where Dr Farida Zaman remained as convener and other members of the committee are veteran artist Kalidas Karmakar, Professor Muhammad Yunus, Nisar Hossain, sculptor Mustapha Khalid Palash, Mohammad Iqbal and Japanese artist Tayami Hosanna.
Like previous years, the exhibition will distribute three grand prizes worth BDT 5 lakh and six honourary awards worth BDT 3 lakh among 9 artists. The art works for the award will be selected by a jury committee consisting five members. The jury committee has been formed by the artists of Bangladesh, Poland, South Korea, Indonesia and Japan.
The month-long event will also feature seminar, performance art show, international art camp and cultural programme.
To disclose the above information on ‘17th Asian Art Biennale Bangladesh 2016’, a press conference was held yesterday at the seminar hall of National Art Gallery. Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor, Director General of BSA Liaquat Ali, Lucky and Cultural Affairs Secretary Begum Akhtari Momtaz, among others, were present at the press conference and briefed the media.
Asaduzzaman Noor said, “Though the title of the exhibition is ‘Asian Art Biennale’, but here not only the countries of Asia have taken part in the exhibition, but also many countries from different parts of the world are participating. We hope that in future, the countries of all the continents will participate in the exhibition.”
The inauguration ceremony of the exhibition will include a mesmerising cultural evening at the National Theatre Hall of BSA on December 1. Besides, to give the exhibition an extended aesthetic look, roads from SAARC Fountain to Shahbag will be decorated.
The exhibition will remain open to all from 11am to 8pm (Saturday- Thursday) and 3pm to 8pm (Friday) till December 31. l