Renowned Bangladeshi artist, illustrator and author Sabyasachi Hazra reflected on art, memory, creativity and the meaning of an artistic life at an intimate conversation organised by Gallery Cosmos in Dhaka.
Titled ‘Contemplation: An Unhurried Journey Through Art, Purpose, and Life’, the special session was held at Cosmos Centre, bringing together artists, art enthusiasts, cultural practitioners and members of the creative community for an evening of reflection and dialogue.
Gallery Cosmos Artistic Director Sourav Chowdhury moderated the conversation, with Gallery Cosmos Founder Enayetullah Khan and other distinguished guests in attendance.
Hazra began by revisiting memories of his childhood and early life. Born in Khulna and raised in Itna village of Lohagara, Narail, he spoke about the people, landscapes and everyday experiences that shaped his imagination and gradually found their way into his creative practice.
For Hazra, art is not a fixed destination but an evolving journey shaped by observation, memory, curiosity and lived experience.
Moving between childhood recollections and his later encounters with art, literature and the wider world, he offered the audience glimpses into the experiences that have informed his distinctive visual language.
A significant part of the discussion focused on his approach to illustration and visual storytelling, as well as his enduring relationship with books, printed images and literature.
Hazra also reflected on the importance of contemplation in an age increasingly defined by speed, constant production and immediate consumption.
He emphasised the value of slowing down, looking closely and allowing ideas time to mature. Creativity, he suggested, does not always emerge from urgency or relentless productivity. It can also grow through silence, observation and sustained engagement with life.
The artist further explored the connection between memory and artistic expression, noting how personal experiences can remain deeply embedded in creative work even when an artist does not consciously attempt to reproduce them.
The discussion allowed audiences to encounter Hazra beyond his familiar works, offering insight into the memories, questions and reflections that have accompanied his creative journey over the years.
Gallery Cosmos has continued to create platforms for meaningful conversations between artists and audiences, encouraging dialogue around art, culture and creative practice.
Through initiatives such as this, the institution brings together artists, practitioners and art lovers in spaces dedicated to reflection and exchange.
The evening concluded with an open interaction between Hazra and the audience, allowing participants to engage further with his experiences, artistic philosophy and thoughts on creativity and life.
More than a conversation about art, ‘Contemplation’ became a reflection on the memories, experiences and questions that quietly shape an artist’s journey — and on the value of taking the time to pause, observe and create.
