At the Venice Biennale’s collateral exhibition “Still Joy — From Ukraine into the World”, Bangladeshi visual artist Ashfika Rahman finds herself at the centre of a rare moment of global attention, after her work “Than Para — No Land Without Us” was selected as a New York Times Critics’ Pick among the 6 Must-See Venice Shows.

Centred on the final hour of Ferdowsi’s life, the play portrays the ageing poet waiting outside his home in Tus for the reward promised by Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni for completing “Shahnameh”.

In works such as “Oceanic Fury”, “Midnight Storm”, and “Tempest of Paradise”, Ain explores the sea’s dual nature—its capacity for serenity and violence. The ocean becomes a psychic mirror, reflecting inner turbulence alongside external force.

A three-day art exhibition titled “Light from the Inner Soul” is currently underway at the lobby of Cumilla Shilpakala Auditorium, showcasing the creative expressions and inner visions of women through paintings and handcrafted artworks.

An exhibition showcasing portraits of Tagore and Nazrul, created by more than 100 students from 13 schools in and around Dhaka, was also held as part of the event.

Alliance Française de Dhaka and ARTCON are currently hosting “A Shared Condition”, the first solo exhibition by interdisciplinary artist Mubtasim Alvee, who is pursuing his MFA at the Department of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka. The exhibition explores intrapersonal physical and mental states, connections, and memories that contribute to a collective identity shaped by shared social and political histories.

Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy has launched a 10-day programme titled “National Cultural Heritage Preservation and Tribute to Eminent Personalities”, aimed at honouring 45 distinguished cultural figures of the country.

Through this initiative, Bhairabi created a memorable cultural experience for dance enthusiasts and audiences, while highlighting the elegance and depth of classical dance heritage.

Their presentation, scheduled for May 24, is titled “Blood, Breath, and Belonging: Preserving Mro Culture and Cosmology through Nasyatpa Ritual Performance”.

Speaking to The Daily Star about Ataur Rahman, Mamunur Rashid said, “I have known him since before the independence of Bangladesh.

The venue became a space of deep emotion as leading figures from Bangladesh’s theatre, cultural, and artistic communities came to bid farewell. Among those present were faculty members from the Theatre Departments of Jagannath University and the University of Dhaka, along with many prominent cultural personalities.

The scale of the preparations had already created a festive atmosphere across the division and added that the programme would also provide an opportunity to showcase local cultural heritage and indigenous traditions.

To mark Mother’s Day, Jolkonya has organised a six-day group art exhibition titled “Every Woman is a Mother”.

The Ekushey Padak and Swadhinata Padak awardee has been on life support for the past 10 days following a fall that led to multiple organ complications.

Organised by the academy’s Fine Arts Department, the exhibition features reproductions of Tagore’s paintings as well as artworks reflecting his literary and philosophical legacy. It will remain open to visitors until May 23, daily from 11am to 8:00pm.

Written by Italian playwrights Dario Fo and Franca Rame, the play has been adapted from English into Bangla by Prof Abdus Selim and directed by M Sayeed.

Printmaking has often remained one of the lesser-explored forms within Bangladesh’s art scene – admired within artistic circles, yet less familiar to wider audiences than painting or sculpture. Over the past few weeks, however, Kala Kendra in Lalmatia has turned renewed attention toward the medium through its month-long printmaking festival, drawing visitors into a world of layered textures, memory, and experimentation.

The exhibition presents around 100 works created between 2024 and 2026. The works span acrylic, spray, pastel, prints, and digital media.

The Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre (IGCC), High Commission of India, inaugurated the art exhibition “Sampriti” at its Gulshan premises yesterday (May 7), bringing together artists, scholars, diplomats, and cultural personalities for an evening of art, music, and cultural exchange.

Prof Das will receive the award for his contributions to Rabindranath Tagore research, while Bulbul Islam is being recognised for his work in Rabindra Sangeet.