Tracing time and tradition through the art of drawing

From the pioneering strokes of founding masters to the experimental expressions of contemporary artists, seven decades of drawing in Bangladesh will come together at an exhibition titled ‘Unbroken Line’. 
Organised by Bengal Foundation, the exhibition will be inaugurated this evening at the Quamrul Hassan Exhibition Hall of Bengal Shilpalay. Distinguished art writer and critic Moinuddin Khaled and Professor Shishir Bhattacharjee, Dean of the Faculty of Design and Technology at Shanto-Mariam University of Creative Technology, will jointly inaugurate the show.
Professor A K M Maynul Islam of the Department of Ceramics and Sculpture at the University of Rajshahi and artist Soma Surovi Jannat will speak at the event.
Featuring works by more than 40 artists, “Unbroken Line” offers a sweeping view of the evolution of drawing in Bangladesh, highlighting how artistic approaches, techniques and creative intentions have transformed across generations.
The exhibition explores the changing role of drawing in the country’s visual arts, from its traditional function as a fundamental tool of academic training to its use in documenting social and political realities. It also highlights how drawing has emerged as an independent and expansive medium of contemporary artistic expression.
By bringing together works by mid-20th-century pioneers, mid-career innovators and emerging artists, the exhibition creates a dialogue between different generations of practitioners. Representative works associated with key regional art institutions across Bangladesh further broaden its artistic and historical perspectives.
The exhibition also examines how artists have used lines to document and interpret the country’s changing landscape, historical experiences and human condition. Through diverse styles and artistic perspectives, the works reflect drawing’s enduring significance as both a means of observation and a form of creative expression.
Prominent and young artists including, Aminul Islam, Anjoye Kumar, Bipasha Hayat, Dhali Al Mamoon, Farah Naz Moon, Hamiduzzaman Khan, Hritendra Kumar Sharma, Imam Hossain Suman, Isme Azam, Israt Jahan Tonni, Jannatun Noor Saymum, Jogen Chowdhury, Kalidas Karmakar, Kazi Abdul Baset, Lalu Prasad Shaw, Maynul Islam Paul, Md Arman Chowdhury, Md Munem Shahariar, Md Saifullah and Zainul Abedin are participating at the event.
The exhibition will remain open to all daily from 4pm to 8pm till 30 October.