Page 6 - 19th Asian Art Biennale Bangladesh 2022 : Special Invition & Expatriate

Bangladeshi art has evolved with unique features that have gained global recognition,
incorporating traditional elements into contemporary art to create a distinctive identity. The 19th
edition of the Asian Art Biennale, the longest-running international art biennale in Asia, features
the works of prominent Bangladeshi artists, both within the country and abroad. The exhibitions
aim to showcase the strength and quality of modern and contemporary Bangladeshi art to a
global audience. Bangladeshi artists living abroad act as cultural ambassadors, contributing
to the international art community with their creations. Bangladesh is known for its beautiful
landscapes, exotic cuisine, rich literature, and cultural heritage, with some outstanding painters
gaining recognition on the global art scene. From sculpture to architecture, photography,
and painting, art in Bangladesh encompasses a range of styles, from traditional folk art to
modernistic and contemporary approaches.
Artists such as Rafiqun Nabi, a master painter who is known for his woodworks, acrylic paintings,
watercolors, and cartoon character “Tokai,” and Mustafa Monwar, Shahabuddin Ahmed, Syed
Abul Barq Alvi, Biren Shome, and Swapan Chowdhury, who have contributed significantly to
the country’s liberation war, are among those who have enriched Bangladeshi art. Renowned
artists like Hamiduzzaman Khan, Hashem Khan, Alakesh Ghosh, Jamal Ahmed, Mohammad
Eunus, Farida Zaman, and Kanak Chanpa Chakma continue to embellish the country’s art
scene with their creative efforts.
Internationally renowned Bangladeshi painter Shahabuddin Ahmed has been bestowed with
France’s highest civilian title for his contribution to Art in France and around the world. The
Paris-based Bangladeshi artist has been conferred with “Chevalier De L’ordre Des Arts Et Des
Lettres” (Knight in the Order of Fine Arts and Humanities) by the Ministry for Cultural Affairs and
Communication of France. Bold strokes, vibrant colours, and figurative expressions are the
hallmarks of freedom fighter Shahabuddin’s works. The conscience and the indomitable spirit
of the Liberation War have frequently appeared as prominent connotations on his canvas.
The music of nature, in its infinite majesty, is a continuous inspiration for internationally
renowned artist Kazi Ghiyasuddin. He captures nature’s underlying harmony of beauty in his
paintings to project his desire for peace. Producing richly textured canvases, his unique style
resonates with delicate, inwardly expanding applications of paint. The first Monbusho scholar
from Bangladesh is also the first recipient of his Ph.D. from the Tokyo University of Fine Arts
and Music, Japan. The true professional artist was bestowed with the Order of the Rising Sun
(Gold and Silver Rays) by the Japanese government.

Over a month-long art extravaganza, virtually inaugurated by our Honourable Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina and supported by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, this edition features 649
artworks created by 475 artists from 113 nations, including 149 Bangladeshi artists. The grand
arrangement showcases two-dimensional and three-dimensional artworks such as paintings,