Tagore was not simply a literary genius who gifted Bengali literature its modern form. He was an architect of consciousness. The first non-European Nobel laureate in literature, he brought Bengali language and thought into global conversation with “Gitanjali” in 1913. His creative output—across poetry, fiction, music, theatre, education, and political thought—was vast, but always anchored in a core idea: that art must be in service of the human spirit.

In 1930, Tagore gifted five of his artworks—vibrant paintings of birds, humans, and a girl in a red robe—to a leading Berlin museum. The collection was part of a larger European exhibition showcasing over 300 of his works, which also travelled to Paris and London. Tagore’s art, like his writings, was gaining admiration; he had visited Germany three times, his books were widely translated, and the German press hailed him as a “wise man from the East.”

Bhumi Gallery in Lalmatia has opened its latest exhibition, “The Trendsetters”, showcasing 70 remarkable artworks by 10 skilled male artists. The participating artists are Anukul Chandra Majumder, Azmeer Hossain, Kamal Uddin, Sadek Ahmed, Kazi Sahid, Shohag Parvez, Abdullah Al Bashir, Kamruzzoha, Shahanoor Mamun, and Sourav Chowdhury.

The programme will feature recitations of protest poetry from July 2024, an open discussion session, and the third staging of Mime Art’s powerful production “Rokte Agun Legechhe” (“The Blood is on Fire”), written, directed, and performed by the troupe’s founder, Nithor Mahbub.

Dhaka-based theatre troupe Swapnadal will commemorate Hiroshima Day 2025 with a special performance of their acclaimed production “Tringsha Shatabdee” (The Thirtieth Century) on Wednesday (August 6), at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy’s Studio Theatre Hall. This marks the 127th staging of the production, which powerfully explores the horrors of war and nuclear destruction through experimental theatre.

"Godhulibelay" ("At Dusk") follows a woman as she slips into a realm of memories. As the past unfolds, so do long-repressed traumas, losses, and the burden of unvoiced pain. Through these recollections, the audience is led beyond domestic rituals and into the intimate, often invisible, corners of a woman's life—one shaped by sacrifice, denial, and restrained protest.

A pink poster had been circulating my social media newsfeed, and it turned out to be an art exhibition, so I decided to pay a visit. On the first afternoon of August, Safiuddin Shilpalay hence inaugurated the first solo exhibition, “Abanto”, by Mayesha Islam Abanti. She is a distinguished young lady who is currently enrolled at the University of Birmingham, UK.

The rally will begin at 3pm from the Shilpakala Academy and parade through Moghbazar, Hatirjheel, and Madhubagh, before looping back to its starting point. Each rickshaw will be colourfully decked with custom T-shirts, caps, flag bands, placards, and original graffiti art—transforming the streets of Dhaka into a moving exhibition of protest and pride.

"Bidrupe Bidroho", the six-day exhibition currently underway at La Gallerie, Alliance Française de Dhaka, revives the spirit of resistance. Organised by Earki, the exhibition has been organised to mark the first anniversary of the July 2024 uprising, the 36-day-long people’s movement that culminated in the overthrow of the Awami League regime.

The “July Reawakening Theatre Festival” is currently underway at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, featuring 11 new productions by 11 theatre troupes. Organised to reflect on the spirit of the July movement, the festival opened on July 31 at the National Theatre Hall and will continue till August 8.

From stage to street, artistes and activists led a cultural revolt against brutality and censorship

Spardha’s acclaimed productions "Bismaykar Sabkichu" and "Tobu-o Jege Uthi"—the latter directed by Mohsina Akter—will return to the stage for one and three performances, respectively. This phase also includes four additional workshops and a public panel.

A rare Salvador Dali painting discovered during a routine house clearance in Cambridge is set to go under the hammer in October, with an estimated value of up to £30,000 ($40042.35) — despite being bought for just £150 ($200.29).

Recently, social media was flooded with her success story, as her work was selected as one of the top entries from over 7,000 submissions for London’s prestigious Drawing of the Year Awards. Her illustration was also featured in the Drawing of the Year 2025 book, earning her international recognition.

The Battery Dance Festival 2025 will feature performances from eight international dance companies alongside eight New York-based groups, celebrating the universal language of dance through live performances, workshops, and immersive experiences for all ages. The free, outdoor event is known for bringing together diverse cultures and artistic expressions in the heart of New York City.

The last week of July brought an artistic distraction in the wake of a national tragedy. Seeking a brief moment of emotional respite, I visited Safiuddin Shilpalay on July 26, 2025, as it inaugurated “Carving the Self: Id | Ego | Superego”—the first solo art exhibition of emerging artist Abu Al Naeem. The ceremony was attended by noted professors from the Faculty of Fine Art, University of Dhaka, including Prof Syed Abul Barq Alvi, Prof Dr Azharul Islam Sheikh, Prof Anisuzzaman Anis, and Associate Prof Md Nazir Hossain Khan. Artist and founder of Safiuddin Shilpalay, Ahmed Nazir, was also present.

Set in a society marked by consumerism and apathy, the play follows Shubhonkar—a seemingly ordinary man—who becomes entangled in the turbulence of social upheaval. While others burn for the cause, Shubhonkar simply wants to hold hands, to connect, to not be forgotten. Yet, the system swallows him whole.

The play unfolds through a series of fragmented scenes that examine authoritarian violence, collective trauma, and human resistance. Rather than following a linear plot, “Mukhomukhi” weaves together anti-war sentiments and political memory, echoing the spirit of last year’s July movement.

“Boner Dhare Nodi” is set along a riverbank deep in the forest, where animals—wolves, elephants, deer, rabbits, monkeys, butterflies—live in harmony until a territorial dispute arises.

At the heart of Aguni lies Rabindranath Tagore’s “Raktakarabi”, a work long associated with anti-authoritarian thought. But Nawsaba has reshaped it, interweaving stories from Bangladesh’s history of resistance, from farmers’ movements to the July 2024 uprising to create what she describes as “a symbolic and political retelling through puppetry and song.”