The Dhaka Art Summit, a biennial event, stands out as a unique platform that not only showcases Bangladesh as a vibrant center for modern art but also fosters engagement between international and local artists. Since its inception in 2012, the Samdani Art Foundation has been at the helm of this non-profit initiative, making it a key artistic gathering in South Asia where diverse cultures converge and find expression through art.
Bridging the Gap for Bangladeshi and Foreign Art
The Dhaka Art Summit is a platform that celebrates modern Bangladeshi art while also showcasing works by foreign artists. Each summit features a diverse range of art forms, including paintings, sculptures, installations, photography, video, and digital art. What started as a platform dedicated to Bangladeshi artists in 2012 has evolved to include South Asian and non-regional artists in later editions, creating a unique blend of local and international art.
As an example, the Bonna edition (translated as "flood "in B" Bengali) seeks to engage over 160 participants from within Bangladesh and abroad, especially women and other marginalized groups. The participants were invited to bring cross-national ideas about environmental and social problems while attending to the intricacies of Bangladesh with water, its culture, and its symbolism. These programs demonstrate the intentions and responsibility of DAS to raise and nurture local concerns in a global context.
Fostering Artistic Dialogue
One of the key features of the Dhaka Art Summit is its emphasis on fostering dialogue among artists, curators, audiences, institutions, and the public. The summit facilitates encounters among multiple art forms through a mix of panel sessions, workshops, performances, and other collaborative endeavors. For instance, the Very Small Feelings exhibition at DAS 2023 was a joint effort with the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art in Delhi, featuring artists from Bangladesh, India, and the diaspora, and inviting them to use narrative as a means of relating.
Dhaka Art Summit also encourages cross-border relationships between local artists and international ones. In 2023, Bangladeshi artisans collaborated with British artist Antony Gormley to develop a large-scale bamboo statue that aimed to merge traditional and modern artistic craftsmanship. This collaborative approach not only showcases marginalized local artists but also promotes intercultural education.
Reimagining South Asia's Artistic Landscape
The Dhaka Art Summit has critically shifted the center of gravity of the perception of South Asian art at the international level. The summit places the Bangladeshi art narrative entirely in its context instead of placing it at the margins of the international art circuits. The summit also incorporates the inclusion of minority voices and exploration of contested histories, which further enrich its offerings.
For example, DAS's initiative brought together individual solo projects into large-scale thematic presentations that deal with transcultural histories. This change indicates that DAS is moving towards a more sophisticated view of South Asia as a region that is complexly interconnected rather than a simplistic monolithic unit.
Community Interaction: Outside the Gallery
DAS, unlike most other art events, is characterized by its strong community interaction. It is open to everyone without a fee. It has no VIP previews, making it highly popular among art professionals, students, families, and locals. This inclusivity, inviting everyone to participate, transforms the summit into a festival of creativity, a celebration of art that is accessible to all rather than an elitist event.
The event also has participatory aspects that enable the audience to interact with the artworks. For instance, Roman Ondak'Ondak'suring the Universe* temporarily turned into an active collaborative work as visitors were invited to carve their names and heights on the gallery walls. That way, the participants can relate to the art while feeling that art is their own.
A Platform for the Emerging Talent
DAS is not just a platform for established artists but also a catalyst for emerging Bangladeshi talents. The Samdani Art Award, designed to support young artists, provides them with the opportunity to gain international recognition and audiences to appreciate their work. DAS's commitment to nurturing contemporary talented artists ensures that Bangladesh does not fall behind other countries in the global art scene, inspiring hope for the future of art.
Global Recognition of Dhaka Art Summit
Over the six editions of the event, DAS has achieved significant international recognition. The 2023 summit, for instance, attracted over 500,000 visitors within the first 9 days, a testament to the event's popularity and cultural impact. This global recognition goes beyond the sheer number of participants, establishing DAS as a key player in the global art scene and fostering relationships across regions between artists and audiences of all ages.
By putting contemporary Bangladeshi art in conversation with artworks from other festivals, the Dhaka Art Summit has portrayed Bangladesh as one of the stakeholders of the global culture. Dhaka Art Summit (DAS) has, and continues to serve many purposes. Beyond an exhibition space, it is now a narrative and collaborative platform for the communities, which is an excellent example of many other cultural events across the globe.
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