Ekantor - at Shilpangan Gallery

Meye, an online network of Bangladeshi women, are holding a weeklong event titled “Ekantor: Women's Journey Through Generations”, at Dhanmondi's Shilpangan Gallery. 

The idea of “Ekantor” is to celebrate the connection among women of different generations and acknowledge the differences through images, music, poetry and dialogues. The differences that persist between two generations are mostly due to lack of communication and resistance towards welcoming different perspectives. Meye wishes to embrace the unity and bridge the distance of time and space through words, tunes and images. 

 “Ekantor" consists of a photo exhibition, circle singing and discussion sessions on different topics. The exhibition, photographed and organised by Ananya Rubayat, portrays young women in a nostalgic style by recreating old photographs of their mothers. The exhibition tells the stories of 24 pairs of mothers and daughters, placing the old and new photographs side by side.

The discussion sessions are designed and coordinated by Trishia Nashtaran. The sessions included an informal lighthearted chat among women of different generations; on issues affecting women of all ages including socially taboo topics such as domestic violence; and the social stigma and legal proceedings that tend to follow the dissolving of a marriage. Legal experts were present during some sessions. 

Meye, a non-profitable, voluntary, and organic network of Bengali speaking women, has been advocating women's solidarity, empowerment and leadership since 2011. The community consists of over five thousand women, and growing. The group strives to sustain a non-judgmental environment for women from all walks of life, enabling them to brainstorm together in order to generate ideas, and 
setting up a platform to implement them. 

The exhibition, open from 3pm-8pm, closes today.