The 2nd Dhaka Art Summit that will bring together over 250 artists from the South Asia region opens this Friday. It is the first time that an event of this scale is taking place in Dhaka and will undoubtedly do much to invigorate and energise the local art scene.
The summit, taking place over 3 days, will feature five exhibitions curated by local and international curators and 14 solo art projects. It will also feature screenings of experimental films, performances, and presentations by 33 local and international galleries.
As Bangladeshis are well aware, our country has a rich cultural heritage that has produced some of the best artists in the South Asia region. However, political and economic circumstances in recent history have suppressed this aspect of our national characteristic. By providing a platform for national artists to present their work to a global audience, the Dhaka Art Summit can play a crucial role in reviving our artistic heritage.
More importantly, the art summit is giving voice to a new generation of Bangladeshi artists, including some very promising female artists, who are eager to exchange views with and make their mark on the international art community.
The Dhaka Art Summit also demonstrates that private philanthropy can play a huge role in nurturing art, especially in a country where there public funding is scarce. We hope that this example will help to build a culture of patronage of the arts by private citizens. The talented artists of Bangladesh certainly deserve our support.
