Exhibition explores contemporary realities

Entertainment Desk News :: Artist Atia Islam Anne has depicted the condition of women and satirised food waste and fast food culture in contemporary society metaphorically in her third solo exhibition under way at the Alliance Francaise de Dhaka, Dhanmondi in the capital.

The exhibition titled Contemporary Narratives has been curated by artist Syed Hasan Mahmud. The artist has displayed 22 acrylic paintings created between 2012 and 2023.

Atia Islam Anne examines the unveiling and veiling of women in both local and global contexts with metaphors, allegories, signs, and symbols.

Her paintings give an impression of pop art with brightly-coloured barcodes, mineral water bottles, beverages, broiler-chicken and others.

An acrylic artwork titled Hindrance-2 shows broiler chickens hanging upside down from above and three veiled women sitting below.

Her acrylic artwork titled Insect.com-1 shows a woman artist sitting on a bar chair in front of her painting. A burger, half-eaten banana, omelette and mineral water bottle are lying scattered near her. A cockroach in her painting depicts food waste.

Her acrylic artwork titled Inspiration of Jibanananda shows two hands with wings flying over a pond full of water lilies.

An acrylic painting titled Contemporary Life depicts food adulteration. It shows an uncovered banana, burger, French fries, mineral water bottle, beverage bottle and uncovered broiler chicken.

‘I am a member of the society. I cannot turn a blind eye to the injustices in society. My artworks depict my observations. I protest against the gradual degeneration of politics, education system, society and others in recent times in my artwork,’ said artist Atia Islam Anne.

‘I painted half-peeled bananas, half-eaten apples, burgers, beverages, scissors, mineral-water bottles, cockroaches and women’s dresses to depict the contemporary realities of the world,’ she added.

Artist Atia Islam Anne completed her Bachelor’s in 1983, followed by a Master’s in 1986 at the then Institute of Fine Arts, now the fine arts faculty of Dhaka University. She received the prestigious Grand Prize at the 18th Asian Art Biennale Bangladesh 2018. She has participated in many national and international group art exhibitions, workshops and art camps.

The exhibition was inaugurated on August 18 and it will end on August 29.