‘This Show is a Waste of Time’: Meme, satire and dissent at Dwip
Dwip, a gallery well-known for its bold approach to art and being vocal about every social issue possible, is currently hosting a solo art exhibition by Shikdar Saikat titled “This Show is a Waste of Time”. Partnered by Ghartera and Sarridon Collective, this show talks about the current social, political, and economic situation of our country, fuelled by ignorance, fascism, extremism, misogyny, and the misuse of religion, through satire and dark humour. But just like a usual “aware” millennial, the artist made unique, high-quality artistic memes instead of going for typical or traditional methods.
According to the artist, this is more of a meme show than a conventional art exhibition. The works include collages, digital illustrations, installations, and prints. The first set of prints intrigued me, where the writing kept disappearing; as if the printer was running out of ink. It was news on unfortunate souls losing their vision. The animal calls, especially the meows playing in the background; a signature move of Dwip, rubbed ointment on my soul, injured by the news.
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The artist suggests we should go back to villages, and stop destroying nature in the name of development. Through his symbolic photo montage, and clever little installations, he speaks of the irreversible damage and genocide in our hills caused by the powerful circle of people. Speaking of power, the economic oppression by the topmost wealthy people has bled the country dry, to the point where brain drain has become the norm.
The current obsession with women being covered and indoors, the nonsensical and hateful tags and labels since July 2024, the moral policing, and ongoing political unrest have been expressed through cleverly created memes. One wall has a huge collage of the G.O.A.T internet memes to remind us of the OGs. Some tiny poetry and art books are also available at the show for purchase.
Dwip, Ghartera, and Sarridon have taken affordability into consideration and kept the prices of art pieces in this exhibition within a certain range, so that even middle-income people, and millennials and Gen Z can acquire them, as art should not always be something that only the rich have the right to own. The books start from Tk 110 and some artworks even cost around Tk 1,000.
Beyond the rebellious surface of the works, Saikat’s thoughtful blending of mythology, historical figures, familiar locations, animals, and contemporary events highlights his strength as an emerging artist and a socially conscious citizen. Ultimately, “This Show is a Waste of Time” turns out not to be a waste of time at all. The exhibition is on view at Dwip from January 16 to January 23, 2026.
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