The Visual Arts Programme of Bengal Foundation held Performance Art Week 2016 which featured 20 performance artists of diverse background. The event was inaugurated at the Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts at 4 PM on December 27 and continued until 30th December, 2016.
The artists were: Palash Bhattacharjee, Joydeb Roaja, Jewel A Rob, Hasna Hena Porosh, Sanad Kumar Biswas, Sharkar Nasrin Toontoon, Nazia Andaleeb Preema, Arpita Singha Lopa, Efat Razowana Reya, Sumana Akter, Reetu Sattar, Niloofar Chaman, Waley Jaff, Meherun Akter, Atish Saha, Emran Sohel, Afsana Sharmin, Farah Naz Moon, Sanjay Chakraborty and Ashim Halder Sagor. The artists have been selected from a number of applications submitted in response to an open call.

The programme was organised with an aim to look into the multiple complexities of this ephemeral medium through discussions, performances and exhibitions. What role does it play in cultural and political activism as opposed to white-cube spaces? How do artists materialise this non-material art? How does this medium contribute to the evolution of new languages? These are some of the questions that the art week sought to answer. Performance Art Week 2016 will also attempt to have a comprehensive look on the role of performance art in contemporary Bangladesh.
The programme took place at three different venues: Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts, Daily Star-Bengal Arts Precinct and Gyantapash Abdur Razzaq Bidyapeeth. The event was open and free for all to attend.

Featuring the documentations of Performance Art Week 2016, the Visual Arts Programme also held an exhibition entitled ‘ephemeral:perennial’ exploring the mediums and possibilities of documenting performance art, which is distinctively exquisite for its complex nature. The exhibition was inaugurated by Professor Syed Manzoorul Islam and art critic Professor Md. Abul Monsur at Daily Star-Bengal Arts Precinct on January 6.

Schedule

Performance Art Week 2016
27-30 December, 4pm-7pm

27 December 2016, Tuesday
30 December 2016, Friday
Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts
House-42, Road-16 (New)
Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1209

28 December 2016, Wednesday
Daily Star-Bengal Arts Precinct
64-65 Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue
Karwan Bazar, Dhaka

29 December 2016, Thursday
Gyantapas Abdur Razzaq Bidyapeeth
House-60, Road-7A
Dhanmondi, Dhaka