1st Karnaphuli Folk Triennial 2015

6th to 8th September 2015, 12pm-8pm.

Venue:  Artist Rashid Chowdhury Art Gallery, Institute of Fine Arts, University of Chittagong, Bangladesh.

Organizer: Santaran Art Organisation

The object behind the ‘International Folk, Traditional and Popular Art Triennial, in every three years is that Santaran believes that to know about the heritage, culture and the seminal trajectories of the folk and traditional arts and the acumen of the artists is to a step forward towards a new cultural awareness. This awareness is not only about saving the folk and traditional art forms and artists, but also about the links they have with all other spheres of art making including the contemporary forms of practice.  Therefore Santaran’s very 1st Triennial comes under a program entitled ‘Shikar’ (development and persistence of folk arts) the permanent public art project of Santaran.

About Shikar Project: Shikar is a Bengali word meaning roots. In course of time most of our important folk and traditional art forms are disappearing. Folk-arts of any country are the philosophical/experiential expressions of the common people of that country. So, in 2008, Santaran launched a program entitled Shikar which comprises permanent public art projects to provide the support for the survival of the folk and traditional arts in the changing scenario of our time, and to fulfill that aim Shikar presents the folk and traditional art of different countries with active interactions to our artists for encouraging them in preserving those folk and traditional art forms.

With this aim in 2008 popular Nepali folk-art form Mithila artist and in 2009, artists engaged in producing Indian narrative scroll painting Patachitra have worked jointly with Santaran artists. To continue the process of such mutually beneficial programmes, in 2010, Santaran arranged a workshop with member artists and artists engaged in popular art of our country such as rickshaw painting and cinema banner painting. Through these activities the popular art forms of own country and other countries are getting the chance to meet the connoisseurs of contemporary art. As a result all such activities are helping in creating awareness among common people for the preservation of the folk and traditional art forms.

Santaran is also working towards creating awareness about the arts among the future generations of the folk and traditional artists through Kalpapuri and Shikar programs. Santaran believes through such awareness-building programs the new generations of folk and traditional artists will be able to create new modes of livelihood. Therefore, their arts will be receiving patronage from art connoisseurs and folk tradition will survive the onslaught of time.

The 1st Karnaphuli Folk Triennial will feature works by artists from Bangladesh, India and Nepal including:

India: Patachitra, Madhubani Painting. 

Bangladesh: Cinema Banner Painting, Rickshaw Collage Art (Chittagong-based), Traditional Alpana of Chittagong.

Artists and Art Works: The Biennale will collect about 60 artworks from 15 selective artists from three countries for the festival. The emphasis would be on traditional, folk, popular artists and their art style in present time. A selection would be made from the works of four contemporary artists who are employing the traditional art style(s) in their art.

Seminar & Presentation: Santaran will arrange two-day-long seminar and presentation during the festival.

Topic of the Seminar and presentation:

• Reflection of Folk, Popular, and Traditional Forms in Contemporary Art and Idea.
• Present state of Folk and Traditional Art and a Way of Development and Persistence.
• Traditional Alpana of Chittagong.

Speaker of the first day in Seminar & Presentation season

Mr. Shawon Akand
Visual Artist, Researcher of Folk Art and Craft, Art Organizer and Art Curator.

Mr. Sanjoy Chakraborty
Visual Artist, Lecturer of Art History Department Faculty of Fine Arts University of Dhaka. Member of Santaran Art Organization.

Speaker of the Second day in Seminar & Presentation season

Mr. Mustafa Zaman
Visual Artist, Editor DepArt, Art Curator and Art Critic.