Takir Hossain

Monica Jahan Bose is an artist who is not quite familiar in the Dhaka art circuit. Her first exhibition in Bangladesh, titled “Drowning: Is there time for Love?” is now on at Alliance Francaise, Dhaka.

The artist has lived in many countries and has acquired diverse experiences throughout her career. At present, she lives and works in Paris. Though she lives abroad but her umbilical cord with Bangladesh is still seemingly intact.

Display of artworks by street children

Students of 'Ashar Pothay' with one of the organisers (C)

Pulsating calligraphy
Fayza Haq
Samples of calligraphy work at Shilpakala Academy

                  Despite the recent lull in cultural activities in and around Dhaka, Shilpakala Academy has an ongoing Islamic calligraphy exhibition sponsored by the Iranian Embassy. This may not be as gorgeous as some of the Arabic calligraphy exhibits in the earlier years in the city, but it has a formidable and fine character of its own. Muted in presentation it focuses on the letterings and attempts to present the various samples of Arabic script, viz, the Toghra, Nastaliq, Shikastah, Kufic and Naqsh. It is in countries like Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey, and Pakistan that Islamic calligraphy is most apparent.