Celebrating global artistic links to South Asia

Dhaka takes its turn to become a hub of art, as the third edition of Dhaka Art Summit (DAS) sets off tomorrow. Thanks to the magnanimous initiative by Samdani Art Foundation, a number of Bangladeshi artists (65% of the total participants) are getting a rare opportunity to showcase their works alongside big names of contemporary art from South Asian countries and beyond.

Art lovers, connoisseurs and organisers from across the world are looking forward to see the proceedings of all-around artistic expressions and arrangement that the world's largest non-commercial and research-based exhibition platform for South Asian Art is offering in a four-day (February 5-8) grand art fiesta from 10am to 9pm daily. 

Art connoisseur and Finance Minister AMA Muhith will inaugurate the biennale Dhaka Art Summit as chief guest while Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon and Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor will attend the ceremony as special guests. On the other hand, Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry has started a campaign called “Visit Bangladesh 2016”, as Bangladesh government marks 2016 as the year of tourism. Produced by Samdani Art Foundation, the grand art summit is being organised by Samdani Art Foundation in association with Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA), Bangladesh Tourism Board and over 50 international partners. Golden Harvest is the title sponsor of the event.

A press conference was held yesterday at National Art Gallery auditorium of BSA where Nadia Samdani, President and Co-Founder of Samdani Art Foundation (SAF) elaborated the diverse aspects of the summit. Among others, Rajeeb Samdani, Co-Founder of SAF; Zakir Hai, COO of Golden Harvest and artist-curator Mohammad Muniruzzaman were present.

“For 2016, there will be 17 solo projects curated by the SAF's artistic director Diana Campbell Betancourt. Other content includes five curated exhibitions, eight durational performances, a film programme, panel discussion, and book launches. To grow DAS as a research platform, we invited curators from different institutions like Tate Modern, Centre Pompidou, the Guggenheim, and the Kunsthalle Zürich to extend their research deeper into South Asia. Works from the National Gallery archive, National Museum of Bangladesh, and various private collections will also be on display at the exhibition,” mentioned Nadia Samdani. 

Following a QA session, the organisers directed a guided tour for the journalists.