Apr 07, 2025 – Apr 12, 2025
Regards sur le Bangladesh, a Franco-Bangladeshi Week in Paris
Architecture Documentaires Littérature Musique Débats
Following the visit of the President of the Republic, Mr. Emmanuel Macron in September 2024, the idea of a Bangladeshi week in France emerged to highlight this little-known country. The program we are proposing is based on our cooperation activities in the fields of architecture, artistic creation, literature, climate, and cinema, with partners invested in this partnership framework.
We are opening a window on a country whose recent events, linked to the Monsoon Revolution and ensuing political instability, place it at the center of many challenges. We invite the audience on a new journey—far from the usual pessimistic clichés about Bangladesh (poverty, climate disasters, pollution)—to showcase a positive image of its vibrant energies, cultural richness, and new ambitions.
We extend our sincere gratitude to our partners for their commitment to constructing this program: Institut français, the association chaired by Erik Orsenna, Initiative pour le Futur des Grands Fleuves, Cité de l’architecture, INALCO, and the Théâtre National de la Colline.
Apr 11, 2025 – Apr 13, 2025
An experiential installation exhibition to relive culture. Exhibition Installation by Gunoboti
📅 Date: April 11–13, 2025
📍 Venue: La Galerie, Alliance Française de Dhaka; Address: 26, Mirpur Road, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205
⏰ Opening Ceremony: April 11, 2025, at 5:30 PM
“Journey to the Roots – শেকড়ের গল্প |” celebrates the heritage of traditional Bangladeshi craftsmanship through a contemporary lens. Curated by Gunoboti, a design cultivation community, the exhibition unveils Rannaghorer Onushongo, a unique bamboo kitchenware product line that blends artisanal heritage with modern functionality.
Crafted by artisans from Faridpur, the products reimagine traditional kitchen essentials, emphasizing sustainability, usability, and a connection to cultural roots. The exhibition offers visitors an immersive experience to relive cherished memories, explore the transformation of cultural artifacts, and engage with innovative designs that reflect the essence of Bangladesh.
Objectives
- Highlight the vision and ethos of Gunoboti as a brand celebrating craftsmanship, sustainability, and creativity.
- Evoke nostalgia by showcasing the cultural and emotional significance of the Rannaghorer Onushongo product line.
- Demonstrate the relevance of traditional crafts in urban households through modern adaptations.
- Dispel misconceptions about the utility of handcrafted products in daily life.
- Inspire lifestyle shifts that promote sustainability and cultural preservation.
- Encourage community participation in preserving and innovating traditional crafts.
Exhibition Content
1. Interactive Display Panels
Each panel combines storytelling with visitor engagement:
Panel 1: About Gunoboti
Visual storytelling of sustainable crafting habits passed down through generations.Interaction: Visitors can share stories of their mothers’ creative habits or traditional art practices.
Panel 2: Traditional Roots
Illustration of the origins of the Rannaghorer Onushongo products, showcasing their time-tested efficiency.
Interaction: A “memory board” for visitors to attach sticky notes with personal anecdotes related to traditional kitchenware.
Panel 3: Unique Selling Points
A detailed presentation of how each product addresses modern-day challenges.
Interaction: Visitors can share their thoughts or questions via a “doubt box.”
Panel 4: Reflection and Impact
Insights on how adopting sustainable products can create meaningful change.
Interaction: Visitors are invited to join Gunoboti’s journey by signing up on the reflection board.
2. Gunoboti Stall
Display and sale of the Rannaghorer Onushongo product line, including:
- হাতে খুই,
- খাউয়া চালন – ঢাকন,
- চচতো চালন – ঢাকন,
- করাই ডালা – ঢাকন,
- যাদুর বাক্স
Visitors can experience the traditional and contemporary versions of the products.
3. Food Stalls
Traditional pitha and delicacies, creating a festive ambiance tied to the exhibition theme.
4. Research Background
Illustrations highlighting the relationship between design and cultural context, showcasing the meticulous craftsmanship behind each product.
- Experience Highlights Immerse yourself in the legacy of Bangladeshi crafts.
- Engage in interactive storytelling and memory-sharing activities.
- Witness the transformation of traditional kitchenware into contemporary designs.
- Relish the flavors of heritage with a pitha festival atmosphere.
- Take home a piece of history with Gunoboti’s thoughtfully crafted products.
Join us to honor the artistry of our ancestors while embracing sustainable living for the future.
Apr 18, 2025 – Apr 30, 2025
A Research-Based Interactive Artistic Project on the Textile & Spinning Industry of Bangladesh
Producer & Curator: Fouzia Mahin Choudhury
Date: April 18–30, 2025
Venue: La Galerie, Alliance Française de Dhaka
Address: 26, Mirpur Road, Dhanmondi, Dhaka
Opening Ceremony: April 18, 2025, at 5:30 PM
Exhibition Overview:
“If something is cheap, somebody else is paying.”
Bangladesh’s textile and spinning industry is integral to the global fast fashion supply chain but often ignored compared to the ready-made garment (RMG) sector. The exhibition “Into My Lungs” sheds light on the unseen struggles of textile workers who face life-threatening health hazards, including byssinosis, caused by prolonged exposure to cotton dust.
This initiative, led by artists Ayman Alazraq and Emanuel Svedin, with Dhaka-based producer Fouzia Mahin Choudhury, documents the untold stories of these workers through an immersive artistic and journalistic exploration. Combining film, installations, and interactive sessions, the exhibition emphasizes the need for collective awareness and advocacy to improve the lives of textile workers locally and globally.
Key Exhibition Elements:
1. The Film
- A long-form documentary that captures the realities of the textile industry in Bangladesh through workers’ voices, medical insights, and activist perspectives.
- Screening for invited guests during the opening, followed by scheduled public showings.
2. Interactive Session
- A live interview with the producer and artists, followed by a discussion/Q&A session to engage the audience.
3. The Book
- “Into My Lungs,” a compilation of interviews, research findings, and reflections on the project’s journey.
4. The Installation
- Artistic installations featuring photographs, video clips, and sculptures created from research materials and cotton waste (lint).
5. Audio-Visual Interview
- A recorded presentation of the artists’ and producer’s insights into the project’s vision and development.
Why This Exhibition Matters
“Into My Lungs” is the first research-based artistic project focusing on the textile and spinning sector in Bangladesh. The exhibition aims to:
- Highlight the occupational hazards faced by textile workers.
- Bridge the gap between global fast fashion consumers and the workers behind the industry.
- Spark local and global conversations to advocate for safer working conditions and fair compensation.
Join Us This interactive exhibition invites everyone to experience the untold stories of textile workers and engage in meaningful dialogue to envision a fairer future for the industry. Let us explore, learn, and act together.
May 16, 2025 – Oct 30, 2025
Invisible Stories
By Laurie Cannac and a team of Bangladeshi artists
French puppeteer and director Laurie Cannac, who previously performed several times in Dhaka, has been very inspired by bangladeshi bhut stories for their weird aspects and deep meanings. Created with a wonderfull bangladeshi artistic and technical team, this shows is her tribute to the accuracy of popular wisdom of Bangladesh towards respect to nature, in an ecological tale enlightened by the liveliness, the optimism and deepness of bangladeshi people.
Two scientists, studying the impact of ghosts on everyday life in Dhaka, are well mastering their subject. Until the moment when their subject begins to master them, and throws them into a fantastic trip that will lead them to meet wilderness and wisdom of Sundarbans.
Bangladesh, a country impacted by historical events like the partition of 1947 and the war of 1971, possesses a rich thousand-year-old history that explores the connection between humans and the mystical realm. This heritage is preserved through oral traditions which reflect the present world, historical disruptions, and the fragile unity of Bengali culture.
In her immersive experience in Bangladesh, including workshops, meetings, and the Faim de loup show, Laurie Cannac encountered Bangladeshi stories and artists, deeply moved by their resilient positivity. Inspired by this, she aims to showcase their vitality, humor, and adaptability in a unique production called Invisible Stories. Drawing from the diverse oral traditions that encompass all religious communities, ghost stories, and other supernatural elements, Laurie has formed a team of three versatile actors-dancers-singers to create this multidisciplinary project.
Through a collection of traditional Bengali ghost stories, the artists will reimagine Dhaka, their city-megalopolis, by submerging it in a surreal and dreamlike world. This creative process aims to find explanations for the city’s challenges, such as its notorious traffic, by attributing them to the rural exodus of tree ghosts. The coexistence of the ancient and modern will be portrayed as walls supported by specialized ectoplasm.
Furthermore, the production will allude to historical ghosts, like ghost trains inspired by the tragic passengers of the 1947 convoys. Additionally, the exploration of personal ghosts, intertwined with Jung’s collective unconscious, will add depth to the relationships between the characters. The technical aspects of the production will emphasize the representation of the invisible through various means, including play, movement, objects, and body puppetry.
Please find the details of this project “Invisible Stories” / Projet artistique Histoires Invisibles:
Project “Invisible Stories” 🇬🇧 |
Projet artistique “Histoires Invisibles” 🇫🇷 |
Calendar of the production and activities 2024-2025:
1️⃣ In May 20 – August 20, Actors will rehearse for ‘Invisible Story’ from May 20 to the second week of August 2024 at Al-Alliance Française Gulshan and Dhanmondi center.
2️⃣ From Last week of August 2024, the technical show will take place at Studio Theatre Hall, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in the last week of August 2024. (not open for audiences)
3️⃣ From September 16 to September 26, the second rehearsal is scheduled for the final show.
4️⃣ In October 04 and 05, to celebrate the 65th Anniversary of Alliance Française de Dhaka, “Invisible Stories” will be staged on October 4th and 5th, 2024 at Alliance française de Dhaka.
Show Schedule
🎭 04 October 2024 at 7:00 pm; Venue: Alliance française de Dhaka; Open to all
🎭 05 October 2024 at 7:00 pm; Venue: Alliance française de Dhaka; Open to all
5️⃣ Tour of performance In December 2024, there will be a tour all over Bangladesh, mainly in Khulna and Satkhira, and different parts in Dhaka.
SHOW SCHEDULE at Khulna, Bangladesh:
🎭 10 December 2024 at 6:00 pm; Venue: Zilla Shilpakala Academy, Khulna; Open to all
6️⃣ In May 2025, there will be a performance in Paris during Bangladeshi Art Week. (yet to be confirmed)
7️⃣ In September 2025, there will be participation in the International Puppet Festival in Charleville-Mézières, France.
