2020 year in review: The year when artists set the brushes aside | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Get the Paper
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Wednesday
July 23, 2025

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Get the Paper
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
WEDNESDAY, JULY 23, 2025
2020 year in review: The year when artists set the brushes aside

Glitz

Zahangir Alom
31 December, 2020, 11:05 am
Last modified: 31 December, 2020, 11:23 am

Related News

  • From Dhaka to Paris: How one artist transformed the Grand Palais into Korail
  • Choukaath: Exploring a new dimension of the canvas
  • Grismer Rang: Stories of our summer
  • In Quest of Bono-bibi: A myth reimagined
  • Affordable Spring: Where colours spring to life

2020 year in review: The year when artists set the brushes aside

TBS highlights the five most important events in the art scene of the country in 2020

Zahangir Alom
31 December, 2020, 11:05 am
Last modified: 31 December, 2020, 11:23 am
Dhaka Art Summit 2020. Photo: Courtesy
Dhaka Art Summit 2020. Photo: Courtesy

Before the ongoing pandemic hit Bangladesh hard, the country's art scene was vibrant with several important art events taking place successfully. 

Once it arrived though, artists put their brushes aside to help doctors in making PPEs and head shields. Freelance artists were worst hit, but some artists and organisations showed their spirit to create art, take innovative initiatives and hold virtual exhibitions. 

Coronavirus took away the lives of many eminent artists. Adapting to the new normal, the open call for the Asian Art Biennale Bangladesh 2020 is currently underway. 

The Business Standard Google News Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel

TBS highlights the five most important events in the art scene of the country in 2020.

Dhaka Art Summit 2020: Seismic movements

Convening a critical mass of artists, thinkers and participants, Dhaka Art Summit 2020 (DAS 2020) drove its audience to reconsider histories, movements, borders and other fault lines through the lense of art.  Among many curated exhibitions, 'Lighting the Fire of Freedom', an initiative of Centre for Research and Information, ICT Division, in collaboration with Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, and the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, paid the richest tribute to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on his birth centenary. Organised simultaneously with DAS 2020, the exhibition, curated by Ruxmini Reckvana Q Choudhury, narrated the journey of the Father of the Nation (1920 – 1975), chronologically, through a rich variety of archival and contemporary materials, including personal photographs, newspapers articles, videos and artworks. 

Homelands: Art from Bangladesh, India and Pakistan 

Durjoy Bangladesh Foundation, with its mission to support the presentation and awareness of South Asian Art on the global stage, collaborated with the University of Cambridge in an international exhibition, titled 'Homelands: Art from Bangladesh, India and Pakistan' at Kettle's Yard, UK. The exhibition, showcasing works by 11 contemporary artists of South-Asian origin, addressed the continuing resonance and contested histories of Partition in 1947. The exhibition also addressed the independence of Bangladesh in 1971. 

International Art Festival 2020 Nilphamari

The third International Art Festival 2020 Nilphamari concluded on a high note. Artists from five countries created a cornucopia of artwork in a four-day art camp, the outcomes of which were on display at the idyllic ambience of Nilsagor, Nilphamari. Five generations of artists spontaneously participated in the grand festival, which was one of the most memorable celebrations of art. 

Art for Humanity

The global pandemic put all Pahela Baishakh celebration plans on the backburner, and the artists decided to join the fight against the virus. Instead of papier-mâché masks or traditional clay pot painting, they made personal protective equipment (PPE) for doctors, teachers, nurses, staff and sample collectors of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University and other hospitals. Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin's youngest son, engineer Mainul Abedin, donated an 8.5 x 4.5 inch sketch to the Coronafine Group of the Faculty of Fine Art, DU, to raise funds for the pandemic hit people. The historic 1970 artwork was sold at an auction, for TK20 lakhs to eminent art collector and Chairman of Summit Group, Muhammed Aziz Khan.

Demise of veteran artist Murtaja Baseer

On August 15, eminent artist Murtaja Baseer passed away after losing his battle against Coronavirus. Baseer, also a poet, short story writer, novelist, researcher, numismatist and filmmaker, was awarded Ekushey Padak in 1980 and Shadhinata Padak in 2019. A three-month long art exhibition titled 'Baseer: An Eloquent Mind' is currently underway at Quamrul Hassan Exhibition Hall, Bengal Shilpalay in the capital's Dhanmondi. The exhibition features around 150 collected works representing some of the most influential series of the master.

Art exhibition / Dhaka Art Summit / Murtaja Baseer

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • The Government Seal of Bangladesh
    Govt mulls allowing trade unions with 20 workers, industry leaders warn of disorder
  • Photo: CA Press Wing
    Stronger stance needed on maintaining law and order: Political parties to CA
  • The jet plane charred after crash on 21 July at the Milestone school premises. Photo: Mehedi Hasan/TBS
    Milestone crash: 9-year-old burn victim dies in ICU, death toll rises to 32

MOST VIEWED

  • Screengrab/Video collected from Facebook
    CCTV footage shows how Air Force jet nosedived after technical malfunction
  • ISPR clarifies crashed plane was battle aircraft, not training jet
    ISPR clarifies crashed plane was battle aircraft, not training jet
  • The jet plane charred after crash on 21 July at the Milestone school premises. Photo: Mehedi Hasan/TBS
    Milestone plane crash: Death toll rises to 31 as nine more succumb to injuries
  • Students and police clash at Milestone School and College on 22 July 2025. Photo: TBS
    Protesting Milestone students clash with police, besiege law and education advisers
  • Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain/TBS
    Secretariat protest: 75 injured in police-protester clash over edu adviser's resignation for delaying HSC rescheduling
  • Aerial view of the Milestone school premises where the crash took place on 21 July. Photo: Olid Ebna Shah/ TBS
    ‘Why here?’: Concerns expressed over airbase inside city

Related News

  • From Dhaka to Paris: How one artist transformed the Grand Palais into Korail
  • Choukaath: Exploring a new dimension of the canvas
  • Grismer Rang: Stories of our summer
  • In Quest of Bono-bibi: A myth reimagined
  • Affordable Spring: Where colours spring to life

Features

Photo: Mehedi Hasan/TBS

Aggrieved nation left with questions as citizens rally to help at burn institute

19h | Panorama
Photo: TBS

Mourning turns into outrage as Milestone students seek truth and justice

13h | Panorama
Illustration: TBS

Uttara, Jatrabari, Savar and more: The killing fields that ran red with July martyrs’ blood

1d | Panorama
Despite all the adversities, girls from the hill districts are consistently pushing the boundaries to earn repute and make the nation proud. Photos: TBS

Ghagra: Where dreams rise from dust for Bangladesh women's football

2d | Panorama

More Videos from TBS

32 killed in warplane crash in Milestone, live from Burn Institute

32 killed in warplane crash in Milestone, live from Burn Institute

1h | TBS Today
What information did the director of the NBPSI give about the admitted patients?

What information did the director of the NBPSI give about the admitted patients?

11h | TBS Today
India is sending specialist doctors, nurses and equipment to treat burn victims

India is sending specialist doctors, nurses and equipment to treat burn victims

2h | TBS Today
What is discussed at the Chief Advisor's meeting?

What is discussed at the Chief Advisor's meeting?

12h | TBS Today
EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2025
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net