Ansar Ahmed Ullah: London Borough of Tower Hamlet has arranged a week-long art exhibition, starting from the 9th of December, celebrating the 50th year of Independence of Bangladesh along with the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh’s Victory Day.
Nine paintings by British Bengali artist Mukta Chakraborty, would be showcased in the exhibition, known as Five:50, taking place in the Art Pavilion Gallery in East London. Almost all the paintings represent thousands of years old cultural traditions. The paintings display Basanta Utsav of Bengal, Bhatiali, Behula, Nauka Baich, Dhamail, Deepawali and women empowerment of Bengal, demonstrating protests against rising global communalism and racism.
The cultural organisation Mukto Arts CIC will hold an art workshop on the 12th of December to inform the current Bengali generation, born and brought up in the UK, of the art and culture of Bangladesh. Mukta Chakraborty will facilitate the BD:50 art workshop for children.
Mukta Chakraborty commented on the concepts and thought-process of her paintings, “The aim of our great freedom movement was cultural independence. Nevertheless, we are lagging in conserving, nurturing, and presenting our glorious cultural traditions. The identity crisis prevalent in the current generation can be swayed away through the practice and nurturing of our own culture and traditions. In addition, this provides an opportunity in presenting Bangladesh to the world in a different manner. This thought inspired me to represent our cultural traditions differently through brush and colour.”
