Amid much enthusiasm and fanfare, one of the biggest biennale exhibitions of the country 20th National Art Exhibition will be inaugurated today at National Art Plaza of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.
A press conference regarding the biennale exhibition was held by Fine Arts department of BSA at the academy’s conference room presided by Md. Anwar Hossain, director of Fine Arts department, BSA.The exhibition will have 280 artworks on display in four categories by 255 artists. Among the total works, 222 are paintings and drawings, 40 sculptures, 3 tapestries and 15 installations.
Initially, 548 artists submitted a total of 1260 artworks, out of which 280 have been selected by a five-member board comprising Dr Farida Zaman, Sheikh Afzal, Laalrukh Selim, Md Jasim and Dr Aminul Momenin Chowdhury for exhibition.
Another panel consisting of famous artists like Hashem Khan, Rafiqun Nabi, Syed Jahangir and Samarjit Roy Chowdhury have selected the best nine out of 280 artworks for awards.
The artist who has secured the first position will receive the prestigious Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Award and prize money of Tk 101,000.
Three will be awarded Bangaldesh Shilpakala Academy Honorary Award with prize money Tk 25,000 each. Other awards to be distributed include: one Bengal Foundation Award with prize money Tk 100,000, one AB Bank Award with prize money of Tk 50,000, one Deepa Haque Award with prize money of Tk 30,000, and one Begum Azizunnesa Award with prize money Tk 25,000.
This year, one new award has been introduced called Society for Promotion of Bangladesh Art (SPBA) Award with a prize money of Tk 80,000.
Finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith will inaugurate the exhibition today at 5.00pm. He will also announce the names of the winners and handover the awards. Seasoned artist Qayyum Chowdhury will be present as the special guest on the occasion, which will be presided by Liaquat Ali Lucky, director general of BSA.
The exhibition will be open for three weeks from 11.00am to 8.00pm and will end on July 12.
The first National Art Exhibition was arranged in 1975.
-With New Age input
