Bengal Shilpalay is hosting the contemporary art exhibition Body and the Map, a thought-provoking showcase of violence, trauma, and humanity's generational scars. The exhibition, inaugurated on November 15, will remain open to all until December 28.
Curated by Sharmillie Rahman, the event features the works of 10 emerging Bangladeshi artists—A Asan, Afsana Sharmin, Ashang Mong, Farzana Ahmed, Mong Mong Shay, Niazuddin Ahmmed, Palash Bhattacharjee, Rasel Rana, Razib Datta, and Ripon Saha. Their pieces reflect the societal and political chaos that defines our era.
Highlights include Afsana Sharmin’s Ria Moni, a sculpture made of children’s toys commemorating a mother’s death during the Student Against Discrimination Movement. Rasel Rana’s installation, part of his Desire Peace series, uses cotton and fabric to symbolise martyrs ascending. Mong Mong Shay's art examines societal instability with his piece In the Field of Duality, while Ashang Mong's bird sculpture critiques political and mental turbulence.
Farzana Ahmed’s scrolls and sculptures confront the horror of hate crimes and global injustices, including the genocide in Palestine and local tragedies like Biswajit Das’s murder. Meanwhile, Niazuddin Ahmmed’s watercolours depict the moral decay in political power.
Razib Datta uses satire to examine nationalism’s rise, and Ripon Saha explores the commodification of politics and society in his piece Birth of a Content. Palash Bhattacharjee’s The Days of Log Out addresses the July internet shutdown’s impact.
Through diverse mediums—paint, sculpture, digital manipulation, and video—the artists invite audiences to reflect on the world’s chaos while holding onto a glimmer of hope.
This exhibition provides a powerful platform to address pressing issues through art, offering a raw yet hopeful perspective on humanity’s resilience.
