An art foundation in Bangladesh seeks ties with the gulf

Art collector, patron and textile entrepreneur Durjoy Rahman, who runs the Bangladeshi garment and textile-sourcing business Winners Creations Ltd is forging new links between the Gulf and South Asia through his eponymous art foundation. Founded in 2018, the Durjoy Bangladesh Foundation (DBF) promotes South Asia art and artists to a global audience through programming in Bangladesh and internationally, hosting exhibitions and promoting artists and creatives from the so-called Global South—a term used to describe a grouping of countries along socio-economic and political characteristics, with the Global South in specific referring to the regions of Asia, Africa, Latin America, Oceania and the Middle East.

Of importance to Rahman is promotion of longstanding ties between South Asia and the Gulf region through cultural initiatives, and these include the culinary arts, vintage cars, the visual and performing arts.

“We used to look towards the West and now the West looks towards the East and the Gulf is an emerging socio-cultural sphere right now,” says Rahman. “Countries like Bangladesh in South Asia can contribute to the Gulf’s continued rise through art and culture.”

Rahman, who began his career in the textile business at the age of 22 years old, says he always wanted to be his own boss and wanted to quench his curiosity creative disciplines. The Bangladeshi entrepreneur set up his company in 1993, which he co-founded with his longstanding business partner.

South Asia has a long history of indigenous food habits and Bangladesh is in no way excluded from that. DBF’s events are therefore greatly centered around the aspect of food and using food as a form of cultural dialogue.

While the recent history of South Asian countries has been mired by colonial rule, these countries, points out Rahman, have thousands of years of history and culture. “Cooperation with the Gulf, particularly for countries like Bangladesh, could be beneficial to both sides from a creative standpoint. They could learn from the intricate traditional arts and craftsmanship that our countrymen possess.”

What is crucial to Rahman through DBF is to foster cross-cultural dialogue through the arts and collaboration between different world regions—sometimes those at odds—are pivotal to his mission and vision. Over the last few years DBF has pushed a range of though-provoking talks, events, artist residencies and exhibitions, with a particularl emphasis on dialogue and showing in the Gulf. These include Elephant in the Room a large-scale installation of elephants by Bangladeshi artist Kamruzzaman Shadhin and Rohingya craftspeople from the Kutupalong refugee camp that was staged in Dubai Design District from March to April 2021 to foster dialogue regarding human and environmental displacement. This week, during the 59th Venice Biennale, the first edition of the DBF- Kochi Muzrahi Biennale (KMB) Award, which will take place in December, will be announced. Its goal is to recognize ground-breaking contemporary visual artists or collectives, with a focus on the South Asian region.

Most recently, DBF sponsored a symposium titled Coming to Know on occasion of the opening of A Slightly Curved Place, an exhibition curated by Nida Ghouse and Brooke Holmes, presenting the first ambisonic surround-sound installation staged by Alserkal Arts Foundation at Concrete and based on the practice of acoustic archeologist and sound technician Umashankar Manthravadi.

“The question of how we produce and disseminate knowledge is central for organizations in the region such as Alserkal Arts Foundation who facilitate intercultural dialogue, and DBF, with a commitment to being a platform for South Asian voices,” said Nada Raza of Alserkal Avenue. “Coming to Know gave the stage to practices that are exemplary of local, embodied and ethically grounded research and practice, working with disciplines such as sound, music and contemporary dance, each in ways that enrich and complicate our understanding of these worlds and how they might intersect with our own commitment to visual art and cultural production.”

For Rahman, the idea through his foundation and entrepreneurial is to encourage a generation of creative visionaries and this he believes can be found through strong partnerships with the Gulf region.

“Everything is an acquired knowledge; we are not born with knowledge or interests—as you grow older and enter different phases of life you develop new passions,” Rahman says. “Everyone can be an entrepreneur. The question is who is exercising that quality and who is not. As I have grown older, I have developed my interests around these objects—art, cars, design and fashion.”

For a world increasingly defined by its borders, recovering from the pandemic and challenging by geopolitical struggles, Rahman believes creative means are a way forward.

The DBF’s focus on culinary activities are a case-in-point. “We are like the Italians—food is of vital importance to the culture of South Asia,” said Rahman. “Our culinary expressions are always extravagant—we try to be royal and lavish no matter the class of people or social status or religion.”

In March 2022, DBF staged DIS/PLACEMENT, an event in Dhaka exploring the idea of displacement, identity and migration through the cooking of Bangladeshi chef Kishwar Chowdhury.

“South Asia has a long history of indigenous food habits and Bangladesh is not excluded from this,” he added. “Our events are very much centered around food. I have realized recently that cooking has become an intricate part of the sharing of cultures. We therefore thought DBF should make culinary arts a part of our program.”

In terms of the Gulf, whether it is through food, art or cars, Rahman believes a road to successful economic partnerships between both regions also can stem from successful cultural synergies.