Thirteen artists produced pieces for an art collaboration in Dinajpur titled ‘uproar’ in a local dialect
By Ruxmini Reckvana Q Choudhury
From 24-29 October 2021, the second Goethe Pop Up called KAHICHAL invited to Dinajpur in northern Bangladesh. Various artists, who are either based, born, or raised in Dinajpur town, and artists who discovered the town for the first time, have collaboratively worked together, looking at the architecture, townscape, and the people living at Bahadur Bazar and nearby areas to develop their ideas.
The concept was created by curator, art writer, and researcher Ruxmini Reckvana Q Choudhury, who founded the platform Singularity Movement to address social stigma and stereotypical behaviors through art. The local art organization in Dinajpur ‘Gallery Sharang’ was an implementation partner of Kahichal.
Kahichal derives from a Dinajpur dialect and can be interpreted as chaos, uproar, or ruction - but does not carry a negative notion. The people living in this town are Bengalis, Biharis, Marwaris, Paschimas, Polia, Santal, and Orao.
“There is a certain harmony that can be seen between them all,” elaborates Ruxmini Choudhury, who is a Dinajpur native. Kahichal investigated the diversity of the town, focusing on the variety of languages, people, and lifestyles.
“Kahichal provides the opportunity for the people of Dinajpur to look at their own culture through a different lens and for the people from other places to learn about the diversity of Dinajpur town,” says Ruxmini Choudhury.
From 24-27 October 2021, Kahichal conducted engagement activities, such as ceramic, painting, printmaking workshops, performances, installations, photo and video documentation at exciting locations, including the METI School with Dipshikha in Rudrapur, Dinajpur Rajbari, Kantojew Temple, Nayabad Mosque, Dinajpur Natya Samity, and Gallery Sharang, Dinajpur.
“The emphasis of Kahichal’s exhibition was to melt the pieces into each other to avoid labeling the pieces with the artist's names. The uniqueness of this collaborative art and research project is its inclusivity and openness at its very core value.”
Ruxmini Reckvana Q Choudhury at Dinajpur Shilpakala Academy | © Singularity Movement
Exhibited photograph by artist Monon Muntaka | © Monon Muntaka, Dinajpur, 2021
The Kahichal exhibition took place on 29 October 2021, from 4-8pm at Shilpakala Academy Dinajpur | © Singularity Movement