Mangaluru: Our own artist Santhosh Andrade has been selected for the prestigious 19th Asian Art Biennale, which is being held at the National Art Gallery in Dhaka in Bangladesh from Dec 8, 2022, to Jan 7, 2023. The 19th edition of Asia’s largest art extravaganza was originally scheduled for 2020 but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is organised by the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy under the patronage of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the event via online mode on Dec 8, 2022. The exhibition showcases 712 works of art by 493 artists from 114 countries, including 149 from Bangladesh. The participating artists have to pass a rigorous selection process, after which they are formally invited. Santhosh Andrade was one of a handful of artists from India to be nominated.
His selected work, titled ‘Urban Extravagance Amidst Bountiful Landscapes’ (60″x72″ acrylic on canvas), is presently on display at the exhibition, which concludes on Jan 7.
Santhosh Andrade attended the inauguration ceremony wearing a traditional South Indian costume of a white dhoti and shawl. Most of the other participating artists also wore the traditional clothes of their own countries. Lavish local hospitality was extended to all the participants. Apart from exhibitions and seminars, a cultural programme and sightseeing visits to different historical places were organised over a period of one week. A special art camp was held on a river cruise.
The art event exhibits a variety of art forms, including paintings, prints, photographs, installations, performance art, sculpture, and new media art created by participating artists from across the globe. A two-day seminar on the theme of ‘Home and Displacement’ was also held.
