Local and foreign artists have addressed struggles for gender equality and social justice in a group art exhibition under way at the EMK Center, Dhanmondi in the capital.
The exhibition titled Us Women 2023 is featuring 36 artworks belonging to a wide range of mediums, including painting, sculpture and photography, on the theme of #embraceequality by 29 artists.
The EMK Center has been organising the exhibition annually to celebrate Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day since 2018. The centre introduced online edition of Us Women exhibition in 2021 due to the Covid-19 crisis
More than 350 artworks were submitted to this year’s exhibition from 10 countries across the globe.
The exhibition features artworks by artists from Bangladesh, the UK, Egypt and others.
Artists, namely Kashbie Jannat Ayshee, Ummay Nafisa Islam Ridita, Nipa Gomes, Refat Fatema, Mukti Bhowmik, Samio Sahorin Anny, Shahida Akter Tilat, Somota Arifa Prova, Venessa Kaiser, Tahmi Radi and others have displayed their artworks in the exhibition.
Monon Muntaka Shova’s photography work addresses anti-rape movement in the country. It shows a woman protesting against rape wearing a face mask with text that reads Stop Rape.
Refat Fatema’s artwork addresses different types of social stigmas and their boundaries. The artwork includes some texts such as ‘Women are beautiful at homes’, ‘If you get older, you will not get married, when will you have a baby?’, ‘Can’t go out at night,’ ‘What will happen to so many jobs?’, ‘Wear long clothes’ and others.
Nipa Gomes’s painting shows a woman donning a red saree and floral ornaments holding a lotus in one hand and globe on the other hand.
Ummay Nafisa Islam’s artwork depicts violence against women. It shows a woman’s mouth is covered and hands are forcefully held against her wishes.
The audience can also view the artworks visiting the website of EMK. The exhibition will end on March 30.
