Bangladeshi artists opened a lively show at the 6th Ulsan Asian Print Exchange Exhibition, proudly sharing new prints and fresh ideas with an international crowd and giving visitors a look at Bangladesh’s printmaking craft. The exhibition ran for six days at the Ulsan Culture and Arts Center in South Korea and brought together eighty printmakers from several countries, with eight artists from Bangladesh showing works that range from bold graphic prints to gentle detailed etchings. Dhaka University printmaking professor Anisuzzaman Anis, lecturer Juton Chandra Roy and young artist Fakhrul Islam Mazumder Shakil attended the opening ceremony and met guests and fellow artists. Also taking part were artists Abdus Sattar, Syed Abul Barak Alvi, Ahmed Nazir Khokon, Sourav Chowdhury and Lutfa Mahmuda, each presenting pieces made with a variety of methods and personal styles. The full show displayed one hundred and twenty prints by makers from Bangladesh, Thailand, Taiwan and seven provinces of South Korea, so visitors could compare local themes and shared techniques across the region. A special corner of the gallery featured art inspired by the Bangudae petroglyphs, the ancient rock carvings that show animals, people and sea life, and this section drew interest because it connected old stories with modern print forms. Many guests said they valued the chance to meet the artists and ask about how works were made, and the event also offered younger artists and students an example to learn from when they plan their own creative paths. Exhibitions like this help artists make contacts, find new fans and learn how art travels to new places, and they lead to future shows, exchanges or projects that keep creative work moving between communities. Organizers and participants talked about the value of simple exchange: seeing different prints side by side, trading ideas about materials and tools, and forming friendships that make it easier for artists to visit each other’s countries and learn new practices. For Bangladesh, joining a well known regional fair shows that local artists are ready to take part in broader talks about craft, culture and art markets, and the show gave them a friendly stage to show skills and hopes. Visitors left with a fresh view of printmaking from Bangladesh and a sense that more cultural exchanges can help artists grow, teach, and bring new work back to their home studios for others to see. Artists said the event helped them test new ideas, meet gallery owners, and learn about print care and framing. Several curators noticed a strong use of texture and local storylines that spoke to heritage and daily life. Many hoped that such visits would inspire workshops, student exchanges and projects that bring more people into printmaking back home soon.
