Spotlight Featured
Brishtite Roder Kona’ reminisces Kazi Abdul Baset
The ongoing exhibition titled ‘Brishtite Roder Kona’ at Bengal Shilpalay lets new audiences be introduced to the works of one of the finest artists from Bangladesh, Kazi Abdul Baset. In an age when electricity has reached even the most remote corners of Bangladesh and air conditioning is ubiquitous, the image of a woman cooling herself with a traditional handheld fan may appear to be a relic of the past. However, this simple act of seeking relief from the heat was immortalised in the works of Baset. While his works are rarely exhibited these days, the exhibition at Bengal Gallery in Dhanmondi has provided a unique opportunity to view a comprehensive collection of his work. The exhibition features 72 pieces in a variety of mediums, including acrylic, pastel, charcoal, watercolour, and ink drawings. The artworks are all from private collections and have been generously shared to introduce Baset’s genius to a new generation. Kazi Abdul Baset’s legacy is enormous but unappreciated. Baset, a humble and introverted guy, was recognised for his plain pyjama and grey panjabi outfit, as well as his rigorous guidance of his students. He received a Fulbright scholarship and studied in Chicago from 1963 to 1964. Baset’s work has a unique blend of figurative and abstract styles. Despite his modernist approach, Baset’s themes frequently revolved around the simplicity and beauty of rural life, capturing its essence with profound depth. His depictions of rural women and domestic life added a new dimension to modern Bangladeshi art, specially his paintings of woman with a fan becoming almost a trademark of his artistic identity. Baset had a close relationship with fellow artist Mohammad Kibria, another shining light in Bangladesh’s art history, and analogies between their works were frequently made. Their mutual influence and inspiration resulted in considerable artistic synergy, which shaped Bangladesh’s art scene in the 1960’s. Baset began his career as an art teacher at Nawabpur High School, where other notable figures such as Mohammad Kibria and Murtaza Bashir taught. Baset’s artistic development—from his early realistic images of rural life to his later experimentation with abstraction and return to realism—reflects a dynamic and diversified artistic journey. This show at Bengal Gallery is a fitting tribute to the brilliance of Kazi Abdul Baset, providing spectators with a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the works of a master who caught the soul of Bangladesh with unsurpassed sensitivity. Presented by Bengal Arts Programme, the exhibition walls adorns the works of Baset which he produced between the 1960’s and 1990’s. All the works being showcased are collected from the personal collections of Abul Khair, Abul Hasnat-Nasimun Ara Haque, Matiur Rahman and Luva Nahid Choudhury. Open for all, the exhibition commenced on 8 November 2024 and will run till 11 January 2025. Written by Shahbaz Nahian
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Body and the Map: Of wounds and Hope
Beautifully curated by Sharmillie Rahman, the exhibition “Body and the Map” took place on Bengal Shilpalay between 15 and 28 December, 2024. By engaging viewers to contemplate the interaction of power, identity, and transition, “Body and the Map” was more than just another decent exhibition that had the July-August uprising as its subject matter; the exhibition not only acted as a stark reminder about what must not be forgotten but also intrigued the audiences to introspect. Consisting of the artworks of ten multidisciplinary artists, many of whom were active participants in the mass uprising that overthrew a long-standing regime, “Body and the Map” was a riveting look at societal upheaval in the aftermath of that student-led mass rebellion. The show, based on the collective memory of Bangladesh’s last July-August, is both a reflection and a debate about the force of resistance, the weight of trauma, and the possibility of change. Their work delves into the complicated reality of a country dealing with its old and fresh scars and the tiers of collective psychological state of the mass after the newfound independence. The participating artists were A. Asan, Afsana Sharmin, Ashang Mong, Farzana Ahmed, Mong Mong Shay, Niazuddin Ahmmed, Palash Bhattacharjee, Rasel Rana, Razib Datta, and Ripon Saha. The July-August uprising was characterised by an unprecedented feeling of urgency, as residents defied persecution to demand justice, equality, and dignity. However, the road to liberation came at a high cost, with bodies mutilated, lives lost, and a collective psyche permanently transformed. The show explores this dichotomy, emphasising the body as both a personal and societal vessel for history, pain, and resilience. The artworks that were adorned by the gallery space delve deeply into the concept of the body as a source of memory and resistance. Whether through physical depictions or abstract interpretations, the ten artists highlighted how the human body bears the weight of institutional injustice and governmental violence. The visual narratives starkly remind us about biopolitical disposability, demonstrating how individuals became victims of normalised violence during the authoritarian system. The relationship between body and land appears as a repeating pattern, emphasising identities defined by culture, religion, race, and gender, all of which intersect within a nation’s sovereign borders. However, these links are loaded with tension, since the scars of authoritarian authority and systematic impunity are etched on both the body and map. In the aftermath of this historic movement, “Body and the Map” illustrated the dialectics of trauma and renewal, hopelessness and optimism. The exhibition stressed the importance of open discourse and the reframing of identity and government as centralised power disintegrates and something new emerges. Despite recollections of terror, violence, and loss, the artworks elicit a cautious hope. The collective body politic, though scarred, remains resilient, signalling a determination to redefine itself and the map it inhabits. Written by Shahbaz Nahian
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Liminal Horizon: Body, existence & Introspection
“Liminal Horizon,” the solo exhibition of artist Sanad Biswas that took place between 14 and 7 January at the capital’s Kala Kendra, is one of the most fascinating sculpture exhibitions in recent memory of post-pandemic Dhaka’s vibrantly growing exhibition scene. From quirky humanoid figures and brightly coloured and inflated ballooning bodies to disembodied internal organs, Sanad’s sculptures have an aura of eerie sensuality mixed with humour. They appear visually strange to our eyes, but the feelings we perceive are bizarrely familiar to our soul, and they intrigue questions about our fragility and existence as human beings, living and surviving amongst the complexities of the modern world. Although primarily a sculpture exhibition, it consisted of relevant paintings, drawings, installations, and photographs of performance art by the artist as well. This exhibition is also like a diary of Sanad’s almost two decades of art practice. “The world that we live in right now has its tiers of complications. And as human beings, our immediate surroundings and even global circumstances in this era of a world connected through the devices in our hands always have an effect on us, both mentally and physically. The artworks that are shown in this exhibition are artistic manifestations of my psychological journey, how I reacted to certain contexts. For example, the characters in my works are sometimes satirical, sometimes dramatic and colourful, and sometimes they suffer from existential crises!” said artist Sanad Biswas. Another highlight of this exhibition is the beautifully done curation. Curating a show inside a space like Kala Kendra is always challenging, as it is basically a ground-floor part of a residence and not originally designed to be a gallery. But artist Sanjid Mahmud gracefully accomplished the difficult task of dealing with such a space and devised a neatly designed exhibition. “This exhibition was not pre-planned. Sanad had been devotedly working for a long time now; hence, naturally, he has an assemblage of amazing artworks that has a certain coherence that subtly reverberates that they are Sanad’s works. Later, we decided to organise this exhibition. And as a curator, designing a sculpture show inside a space like Kala Kendra was also a challenging task,” said artist Sanjid Mahmud, who is the curator of the exhibition. “Compared to the existing types of sculpting practice that we see in our local art scene, Sanad’s works are starkly different. His works are compelling even in the standard of global contemporary art,” Sanjid further added. With their few other artist friends, Sanad Biswas and Sanjid Mahmud runs their art collective Daagi Art Garage. Although not a familiar name outside our local art scene, this Dhaka-based young art collective, is one of the finest in their genre in Bangladesh. Daagi’s own space, Studio Bhashkarmi, is in the capital’s Hazaribagh area. Written by Shahbaz Nahian
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‘Solastalgia’: Fragments of a fading horizon
From October 19 to November 16, Platforms will host Auntora Mehrukh Azad’s solo exhibition “Solastalgia: Fragments of a Fading Horizon,” at its gallery in Pragati Sarani, Baridhara, Dhaka from 11am to 8pm daily. Her work is inspired by the universal and personal feelings of environmental change, with a particular focus on Bangladesh’s rivers and landscapes. Azad’s art explores the impact of environmental loss, displacement and transformation in rural and urban landscapes from the Sundarbans to Dhaka. All the art enthusiasts, collectors, and connoisseurs are invited to explore Azad’s evocative works.
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AkijBashir Group and Edison Real Estate Forge Strategic Partnership to Enhance Customer Experience
AkijBashir Group and Edison Real Estate Limited, have formed a strategic partnership to
enhance customer value and offer exclusive benefits. This collaboration will provide exclusive
perks to members of the Edison Royal Club, a loyalty program designed for Edison Real
Estate's esteemed clients.
Spotlight Artisan Ceramics at the forefront (04)
Amongst the Royal collection in the Buckingham Palace resides gold-covered renditions of Artisan Ceramics. From a company struggling to export, to winning the national export trophy five times in a row, Artisan Ceramics has seen 3 times expansion over the past few years. The entirety of a company’s growth and success inevitably relies on the decisions made internally. Artisan Ceramics Ltd. suffered significant loss until 2011. With new leadership under Finlays, and a change in the modality of business and redesigning, it now has a factory constructed across six acres of land in Sreepur, Gazipur, and a capacity of producing 10 million pieces of assorted premium quality porcelain tableware annually. The current expansion will raise this capacity to 22 million. Artisan Ceramics is an export-oriented tableware company that supplies to over 20 countries across Europe, America, and Asia, and has evolved into a leading manufacturer with no stop to its growth. The company has a contribution of 12-15 percent in the national export revenue. Surely, success in such a short time is a wonder on its own. To find out more, Ceramic Bangladesh Magazine author recently had the opportunity to discuss the adaptations of Artisan Ceramics that led to its success, with M. Mamunur Rashid, CEO of Artisan Ceramics Ltd. Here’s what we’ve learned: The first adaptation Artisan knew Saggar firing was wasteful Saggar or Saguaro is a covering used over ceramic ware when under intensive firing in the kilns. This protection helps safeguard the ware from coming in direct contact with the Kiln, debris inside the kiln, and other gases and smoke. The problem with saggar firing is that the saggar heats up first and then transfers the heat to the product; this makes the process 15-hour long cycle. With Artisan’s adaptation, open and fast firing, it’s a six-hour firing process. “Time-wise and price-wise, Saggar is inefficient. Again, there is the cost of the man behind the machine,” says Mr. Rashid. Fired three times for a longer life! “I have traveled across more than 10 countries just to see the technology companies have adopted, and learned, that the type of products we tend to manufacture are widely unavailable,” said Mr. Rashid. “We have products that have been fired three times, which make them much more durable. These products are more popular in Europe since they are more durable and can withstand knives and forks,” he added. At Artisan, products are fired at high degrees of temperatures — 1330°C to 1350°C, about 100° higher than the global rivals. Discussing global demand with relevance to this particular firing process, we find: “The hard glaze we are using, makes the product stronger, more scratch-proof, and absorption free,” said Mr. Rashid. The global demand has shifted towards such products because of such features. Raw materials sourced from around the world Artisan Ceramics sources its raw materials from almost every corner of the globe –the UK, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Vietnam, Japan, China, and India are some of them. The two types of minerals that make up for 50% of the body, feldspar, and quartz, are brought in from Rajasthan, India. The company also imports alumina which is used to make the body stronger and helps meet HoReCa standards. “Using the best quality raw material with a natural colour is important because the glaze is translucent and the body colour is what you see,” he said. These designs are in trend now and a personal favourite of Mr. Rashid. The company even imports from specific mines. Furthermore, Artisan buys the best quality gold from Heraeus Germany and colors from Izawa Pigments, Japan. Innovative Designs that go well with the trend, and the technology behind it. Artisan is constantly working on new designs. “We are innovating and have recently created double-layer body tea cup that keeps tea & coffee warm for a longer period of time,” Mr. Rashid mentioned. The design depends on customer trends and comes in cyclic order, says Mr. Rashid. Something that is currently trending are reactive glazes where you allow the finishing to be exactly how the kilns are making them fascinate many people. “Keeping up with the ever-evolving trends is a constant challenge, but traditional designs have resurfaced and are a popular preference now,” said Mr. Rashid. Artisan will be introducing a certain collection inspired by the Rajasthani culture. A designer from Sri Lanka by the name of Sudath Fernando is also coming in to train employees. Stay tuned with us for future features. Regarding technology, he said: “We want to make our factory fuel efficient. Our dryers are like ovens that collect heat and reuse it. I have visited a few factories in Europe and have seen how they are doing things, we have called SACMI, Italy, to help us upgrade.” The machines at Artisan’s factory are from the USA, the UK, Japan, Taiwan, and China. Artisan has taken green initiatives- they refine and reuse 90% of wastewater, collect rainwater in underground tanks, and reuse heat from the ovens. The company purifies water to the extent that it can be used for irrigation. “Every factory is concerned and the government is putting emphasis on sustainable approaches,” stated Mr. Rashid. Artisan’s plan to sell in bulk Following the recent expansion, Artisan is now concentrating on bulk buyers- examples would be hypermarkets. The marketing team is also trying to bring about a trend change by promoting the use of porcelain over bone china. This is because the water absorption of Bone China is high, it loses colour, and porcelain survives longer. Ultra Bone Porcelain: the newest innovation from Artisan Some customers are price-centric and some look for quality. That is why Artisan needed to innovate a new product retaining the same mechanical strength of pure porcelain and exceptional whiteness that was sure to win people over. Henceforth, came the Ultra Bone Porcelain. Mr. Rashid introduced a special body that can beat the competition and customers are willing to pay premium price for it. Artisan performs CSR Artisan gives education
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