Dhaka Art Summit 2020 Explores Collective Action and Historical Narratives
In February 2020, the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy hosted the Dhaka Art Summit, which was curated by Diana Campbell Betancourt and centered around the theme 'Seismic Movements'. The summit attracted hundreds of thousands of attendees and featured nine exhibitions, alongside conferences and a moving-image festival organized by The Otolith Group. More than 500 participants took part in workshops, screenings, and discussions. Noteworthy exhibitions included 'Roots' and 'Nobody Told Me There Would Be Days Like These'. A panel discussion on 'Collective Practice and Economy' included contributions from Shoni Mongol Adda, Hong Kong Artist Union, and Bouba Touré, focusing on Somankidi Coura. This event also marked the 100th birth anniversary and the 45th anniversary of the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, with collaborations like 'The Trans-Bangladesh' newspaper and 'Geographies of the Imagination'.
Key facts
- Dhaka Art Summit 2020 was held in February 2020 at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in Dhaka
- The theme was 'Seismic Movements', curated by Diana Campbell Betancourt
- Featured nine exhibitions with historical and contemporary works, plus conferences and a moving-image festival
- Included over 500 participants and hundreds of thousands of attendees
- Panel discussion 'Collective Practice and Economy' involved Shoni Mongol Adda, Hong Kong Artist Union, and Bouba Touré on Somankidi Coura collective
- Coincided with 100th birth anniversary and 45th assassination anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
- Collaborations included 'The Trans-Bangladesh' newspaper and 'Geographies of the Imagination' banners
- Bharti Kher's sculpture 'Intermediaries' (2020) was displayed outside the venue
Entities
Artists
- Diana Campbell Betancourt
- Bharti Kher
- Bouba Touré
- Rabindranath Tagore
- Kazi Nazrul Islam
- Kay Ugwuede
- Philippe Pirotte
- Adrián Villar Rojas
- Clarissa Tossin
- Himali Singh Soin
- Haroon Mirza
- Tanya Goel
- Ellen Gallagher
- Chitra Ganesh
- Ayesha Sultana
- Otobong Nkanga
- Shezad Dawood
- Ariful Kabir
- Ashfika Rahman
- Faiham Ebna Sharif
- Habiba Nowrose
- Najmun Nahar Keya
- Palash Bhattacharjee
- Promoti Hossain
- Soma Surovi Jannat
- Sounak Das
- Sumana Akter
- Tahia Farhin Haque
- Zihan Karim
Institutions
- Dhaka Art Summit
- Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy
- The Otolith Group
- Raw Material Company
- Shoni Mongol Adda
- Hong Kong Artist Union
- Somankidi Coura
- Gudskul
- Invisible Borders Trans-African Photographers Organisation
- Drik Network
- Pathshala Media Institute
- Chobi Mela
- Savvy Contemporary
- Jothashilpa
- Shilpakala Academy
- Samdani Art Award
- Akaliko
- Art Labor
- Artree Nepal
- Bangladesh Garment Sromik Samhati
- Britto Art Trust
- Calpulli Tecalco
- Center for Historical Reenactments
- Chimurenga
- Depth of Field (DOF)
- Drik/Chobi Mela/Pathshala
- Gidree Bawlee Foundation of Arts
- Green Papaya
- Hill Artist Group
- Invisible Borders
- Jatiwangi Art Factory
- Jog Art Space
- Laboratoire Agit’Art
- Mata Aho Collective
- Pangrok Sulap
- Shako
- Shelter Promotion Council
- Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh SECMOL
- Trovoa
- Ueinzz Theatre Group
- Uronto Artist Community
- ArtPro
- Back Art
- Charupith
Locations
- Dhaka
- Bangladesh
- Dakar
- Senegal
- Mali
- Hong Kong
- Lagos
- Nigeria
- Berlin
- Germany
- Benapole
- Bengal
- France
- Vietnam
- Nepal
- Mexico
- South Africa
- Philippines
- Indonesia
- Aotearoa
- Malaysia
- India
- UK
- Brazil
- Argentina
- USA