At the Quamrul Hassan Exhibition Hall of Bengal Shilpalay, silence does not settle into emptiness. It takes on texture, memory and light.
‘Unravelling Silence’, the second solo exhibition in Bangladesh by acclaimed artist Yasmin Jahan Nupur, turns thread into thought and fabric into feeling, inviting visitors to step into spaces where the personal and the political quietly converge.
Curated by Tanzim Wahab and presented by the Bengal Arts Programme, the exhibition explores how woven cloth can embody both tenderness and defiance; like whispered stories passed from one generation to the next.
Marking her long-awaited return to Dhaka’s art scene, this is Nupur’s first solo exhibition in nearly two decades.
Officially inaugurated on October 10 by Professor Abul Monsur and renowned architect Marina Tabassum, the show will run until November 22, offering a sensorial reflection on labour, displacement and identity.
Through soft sculptures and immersive installations, Unravelling Silence extends Nupur’s long-standing engagement with Jamdani weaving and its centuries-old language of Bangladeshi craftsmanship.
Her works blur the line between art and life, transforming domestic gestures such as sewing, mending and weaving into acts of care, endurance and resistance.
“Textiles have always surrounded me, from embroidered quilts to the legendary tales of muslin and Jamdani,” Nupur told The TIMES of Bangladesh.
“What once seemed ordinary now feels like a living archive, carrying layered histories of labour, love, resistance and survival,” the artist added.
Reflecting on her journey, Nupur said, “I didn’t begin with the intention of working on weaving. My direction changed when five displaced Jamdani weavers from my neighbourhood sought my family’s help to continue their craft. We built three looms for them and watching the process up close transformed my understanding of thread, rhythm and labour. This inspired me to explore this tradition more deeply.”
For Nupur, weaving is both a practice and a philosophy: where softness becomes strength and patience becomes protest. “Sewing, dyeing, repairing – these are not just techniques,” she explained. “They are expressions of resilience and remembrance.”
Around 20 of Nupur’s works are on display, several being shown publicly for the first time. “These pieces took time to emerge,” she said with a smile.
“I wanted to create them peacefully, with care. This exhibition was made possible thanks to Luva apa’s [Luva Nahid Chowdhury, Director-General of Bengal Foundation] constant encouragement and the continued support of the Samdani Art Foundation and Britto Arts Trust.”
A co-founder of Vukhanda Artist Space and a member of Britto Arts Trust, Nupur’s practice often engages with migration, ecology and gendered labour, spanning Dhaka, Delhi, Berlin and London.
Winner of the Grand Prize at the 2022 Asian Art Biennale, her works are held in major collections including Tate Modern, the Whitworth Art Gallery and the Samdani Art Foundation.
Unravelling Silence is open to the public at Bengal Shilpalay from 4 pm to 8 pm daily, except Sundays.
