Culture Desk
Bengal Art Lounge opened its door for a four-day exhibition titled Wings of Hope, an exhibition celebrating women’s empowerment yesterday.
The exhibition will close on April 24, exactly three years after the tragic collapse of the Rana Plaza building, which caused the death of more than a thousand and injured more than two and half thousand people.
Commemorating the day, the Embassies of the Nordic countries Denmark, Norway and Sweden partnered with Shako – Women Artist Association of Bangladesh, Meena, Arjo Cholochitra Foundation and Fashion Revolution put together an art and sculptures exhibition.
This exhibition complements the International Women’s Day celebration by the Nordic embassies in Bangladesh. The embassies in partnership with Meena, a Bangladeshi NGO working with Rana Plaza survivors, conducted an art workshop for the survivors. There, the survivors created wax sculptures representing their aspirations and desires in life with thoughtful guidance from Kirsten Fugl, an art educator from Denmark, and the artists of Shako.
The final versions of the wax sculptures were then cast in metal by Dhamrai Metal Crafts. The proceedings from the exhibition will help the Rana Plaza survivors to start their own sewing workshops enabling them to generate their own income and gain economic independence.
Significantly, the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has kindly extended her support to this project. She has taken an interest in the rehabilitation of the surviving women and her office has bought one of the sculptures created by the women, in a previous workshop. The Prime Minister also expressed her appreciation towards those who are supporting the cause.
The exhibition is also a tribute to acclaimed artist and film director Khalid Mahmood Mithu, who tragically passed away on March 27, 2016 in a road accident. Mithu and his foundation made significant contribution to this project. He was a great advocate for women’s rights in Bangladesh and stood by the Rana Plaza survivors through his artwork and films.
In honour of Mithu’s memory, his experimental documentary film, Dead Hands Rising, which depicts the tragedy of the Rana Plaza collapse will be screened during the exhibition on April 24 at 6pm.
The film True Cost, a feature length documentary that explores the impact of fashion on people and the planet, will also be screened during the exhibition, on April 23 at 6pm.
