The greatest art event in Asia, as opening ceremony chief guest Finance Minister AMA Muhith described it, opened its galleries to the public yesterday.
Judging by the energy of the crowds flocking to Shilpakala Academy to take it all in, two years is simply too long to wait, even for a biennale.
But the wait for the third edition of Dhaka Art Summit was evidently worth it.
Free of charge to any and all, Dhakaites of all types and stripes rubbed elbows as they moved between installations and exhibits presented by some of the world’s finest curators.
At the venue, visitors engaged with art, artists and the power of being part of an event of this scale with evident appreciation.
Some took selfies, others took notes and even United States Ambassador Marcia Stephens Bloom Bernicat was seen having her picture taken next to one of the works on display.
Which brings us to the reason that Samdani Art Foundation and Golden Harvest put on the largest non-commercial research and exhibition platform for South Asian art in the world: to bring the world to Bangladesh and Bangladesh to the world.
DAS is well on its way to becoming a permanent and significant fixture on the global art scene.
Samdani Art Foundation, the event’s organiser, is not new to hosting major events, with visitors to the first two editions numbering in the multiple tens of thousands.
This year, DAS is expected draw a staggering 150,000 visitors.
Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor, speaking at the opening ceremony, said: “This is a big initiative ... The event has become a platform of gathering for artists from here and abroad. Their interaction will enrich the arts.”
Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Director General Liaquat Ali was one of the many eminent personalities present at the ceremony.
President Nadia Samdani thanked visitors for attending the third edition of the event. “It has been an exciting journey ... After the successful editions of the Dhaka Art Summit in 2012 and in 2014, we are excited and happy to present the third edition of the Dhaka Art Summit.
“We are proud to invite and host over 300 participating artists, writers and other art professionals, as well as the general audience, to give the summit a unique look and thrill.”
Dhaka Art Summit includes curated exhibitions, architectural exhibitions, folk performances, book launches and also a historical exhibition.
“Being the world’s largest South Asian Art platform, Dhaka Art Summit highlights Bangladesh positively towards the world,” Nadia said.
Dhaka Art Summit organising committee Chairman Farooq Sobhan said: “This summit will perhaps set a new record in terms of participation from abroad. After the success of the previous two summits, we decided to organise the third summit on a much larger scale.
“As Nadia mentioned, this summit has already figured prominently in the global art world as a must-attend event.”
DAS provides a unique opportunity for the public to view the works of nearly 300 artists from the South Asia region right in the centre of Dhaka, free of charge.
The four-day exhibition is complemented by talks and seminars with prominent artists and curators from the world’s leading art galleries and museums, including Centre Pompidou in Paris, London’s Tate, New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Harvard University South Asia Institute.
DAS is proving increasingly successful at presenting the variety and wealth of South Asia’s rich artistic heritage and culture to large audiences.
The objective? To bring art to life for the Bangladeshi public and increase interest in South Asian art at a global level by actively involving world renowned curators and leading institutions.
DAS sets a tremendous example for private philanthropy in Bangladesh through its year-round partnerships with leading world institutions and by nurturing art in a country where public funding is scarce.
