Article in the Dhaka Trubune of 31-05-2016
ART WEEKEND 2016
What the Netherlands Embassy offered
Hasan Mansoor Chatak
Like the previous year, which was the first one of its kind, the Ambassadors of Brazil, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland and the High Commissioner of Canada have organized an art exhibition titled Art Weekend at their respective ambassador’s residence in unison.
Run on May 27 and 28, the art extravaganza highlighted and exhibited the works of mainly Bangladeshi artists with the aim to enhance the contact between the Bangladeshi art scene, the international community and art connoisseur of the country. As part of the Art Weekend, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands put the works of four artist at her residence: Samsun Alam Helal’s documentary photography, Petra de Vree’s sculptures, the Bridge Foundation promoted differently able young deaf artists’ artworks, and Rajesh Ramakrishnan lifestyle photography.
Petra de Vree, a Dutch sculptural artist who uses clay as her main medium exhibited several arresting sculptures which are inspired by Bengali women’s way of living, which she discovered during her stay staying in Bangladesh.
Vree’s extensive stays in some exotic countries including Bolivia, Guatemala,Ghana and Nepal helped her to learn the sturdiness of the women in those countries and how they tried to move forward no matter what. Those experiences are the artist’s primal source of inspiration. Being an avid fan of Camille Claudel, Vree uses vibrant colors in her sculpture which she found in those countries.
The artist, who has been living in Bangladesh for over one and a half year when talking about the series of sculptures, said: “I observe that a lot of movements of going forward are taking place here with high hopes and fertility. I used these fertility in my sculptures that referred to the fertility in my sculptures. You see, I used some of the seed pots in my sculptures that referred to the fertility and movements going on in Bangladesh.”
Talking about the motive of the initiative, Leoni Cuelenaere, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Netherlands in Dhaka, said: “We arranged this art exhibition to give a platform to young Bangladeshi artists. We have other artists as well, a Dutch lady and an Indian photographer but they all have to do something with Bangladesh and I think it’s a very good way of showing-off potential in Bangladesh on the issues of the field of art.” Cuelenaere hints a bigger platform next year by saying: “Before hosting the Art Weekend next year we have to do something in between. We have to meet with other embassies so we can feature more Bangladeshi artists in our house and which can be seen by more people. Through his work, the Joop Swart Master class 2016 winner, Samsun Alam Helal tells the stories of minority people living in a sweeper colony in old Dhaka, where people seem to hide themselves as they are ashamed of their professions. Using a ret backdrop in his every picture Helal tried to zoom into the lives of the members of the community. Bridge Foundation engaged some people in the different spheres of art since their establishment in 2013.
The Foundation has brought some astounding artworks painted by different artists. Rejash Ramakrishnan, the managing director of Perfetti van Melle Bangladesh, has showcased some interesting lifestyle photos that depict the life in a city in a different manner. Ramakrishnan has been responsible for creating a yearly desktop calendar to raise money for charity for the last five years.
