Terracotta faces protrude from the wall, stoical and impassive. In contrast, a family of carp darts through the water, their translucent bodies a smear of colour on canvas. Then there are the vividly coloured depictions of rural Bangladesh juxtaposed with Singapore's iconic lion-fish Merlion and cityscape. Yes, juxtaposition is the most appropriate word to describe this exhibition, a juxtaposition of cultures, age, experience and ideas.
'Bridging Horizons' the art exhibition presented by the Singapore High Commission in Dhaka in association with Alliance Française de Dhaka, was described as "A visual dialogue of nature, heritage and innovation." It was a celebration of cultural diplomacy and artistic interaction between Bangladesh and Singapore.
Opening yesterday, Friday, the exhibition was a wonderful gift to the art lovers and artists alike in Bangladesh. It was an opportunity to appreciate the paint strokes and sketches of artists from Singapore as well as young artists from Bangladesh.
And a very special addition was the display of Bangladesh's renowned and celebrated artists like Rafiqun Nabi, Mohammad Eunus, Kanak Chapa Chakma, Jamal Ahmed and more.
The Singapore High Commission Chargé D'affaires Mitchel Lee in particular, deserves special thanks for this initiative to further strengthen ties between Singapore and Bangladesh through various sociocultural initiatives.
Earlier, the High Commission had hosted a Singaporean movie screening and other events in the same spirit of friendship and cooperation. These series of events are being hosted to commemorate Singapore's 61st National Day.
Kudos also goes to Alliance Française de Dhaka and its director François Chambraud for hosting such events throughout the year, a continued celebration of cultural ethos.
The Singaporean artists whose work was on display included Goh Beng Kwan, Nai Swee Leng, Andrew Yeo and others. Their art was brought in from the Singapore High Commission collection as well as from the private collection of the Chargé D'affaires Mitchel Lee.
The participating young Bangladesh artists, who were also awarded on the occasion, were Anindya Nahar Habib, Md Rasel Rana, Tulsi Rani Das, Shamima Anam and others. The exhibition was curated by Harun ar Rashid Tutul.
Visitors at the exhibition were awed not only by the aesthetics and artistic expression, but also by the rich paradoxical oeuvre of cultural diversity and affinity.
The exhibition will remain open till 19 August.