The 11th edition of Chobi Mela, an international festival of photography began on Friday at five venues in Dhaka - the Bangladesh National Museum, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Alliance Française de Dhaka, DrikPath Bhobon, and the Bangladesh National Parliament.
The 25th anniversary of Chobi Mela is featuring nine exhibitions of 58 artists from 18 countries across five continents under the theme ‘Re’, said a press release.
Cultural affairs adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki attended the inaugural ceremony as honourable guest at the Jatiyo Chitrashala Auditorium of the academy, alongside festival adviser Shahidul Alam, festival director ASM Rezaur Rahman, artistic directors Munem Wasif and Sarker Protick and BSA director general Rezauddin Stalin, who was also guest of honour.
ASM Rezaur Rahman gave the welcome note while Munem Wasif and Sarker Protick presented the curatorial note at the ceremony.
Shahidul Alam said that Chobi Mela is a movement, a resistance, an awakening.
‘We must unite around this vision for the new Bangladesh we look forward to. After a very difficult period following the dictator’s ousting, we now look forward to a dream of a Bangladesh that can be truly different,’ he added.
Mostofa Sarwar Farooki expressed regret that photography has yet to receive proper recognition within the country’s cultural practices and circles.
He said that an ordinance has been passed recently to expand the Shilpakala Academy and establish an independent photography department.
The opening ceremony featured a conversation on ‘Art as Resistance’ with Shahidul Alam, American photojournalist and educator Gary Knight, Indian educator and curator Tanvi Mishra, Sudanese photographer Muhammad Salah Abdulaziz, and visual artist-curator Yasmine Eid-Sabbagh.
A four-day evening programme featuring artist talks, panel discussions, lectures and film screenings begins today at the Joyeeta Foundation of Dhanmondi, which ends on January 31.
