Kanak records her links with age-old customs and traditions of ethnic communities by passionately reflecting their buoyant spirit in her paintings. A great believer in the ideology of tolerance and abstinence, much of her work focuses on the Buddha’s quest for truth and enlightenment. Kanak (b. 1963, Rangamati Hill Tracts) received a master degree from the Institute of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka, in 1986. She received a Fellowship at the Penn State University in 1993–94. Notable among her awards are the 2nd Prize in Modern Painting, International Miniature Art Contest, Florida, USA (1992), Ananya Shirsha Dash Award (1994), Best Woman Artist of the 21st Century Award, Latin American Museum, USA (2001), the Bashundhara Group Award in the 15th National Art Exhibition organised by the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (2002), Diploma Award at the Tashkent Biennale in Uzbekistan (2003) and the Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin Memorial Award (2003). In 2005 Bengal Foundation produced a 30 min. documentary on artist Kanak Chanpa Chakma, titled Enlightenment (directed by Khalid Mahmud Mithu).

Date: 20/11/2005 – 03/12/2005
Venue: Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts

Artist name: Kanak Chanpa Chakma