Address by H.E. Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, Hon'ble Adviser for Foreign Affairs on the occasion of the Contemporary British Sculpture exhibition entitled 'Long Distance Information' jointly organized by the British Council, Dhaka and Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts on 28 January 2008

Good Evening

· I deem it a privilege to be asked to inaugurate this Sculpture exhibition. Deep gratitude is owed to the British Council and the Bengal Gallery for inviting me this evening. The Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts is a venue I am familiar with. To my mind it is well chosen, and is an ideal setting for this event.

· Art, as it has been said, is a mathematical result of the emotional desire for beauty. It is through art and art only that we can realize our perfection: through art and art only that we can shield ourselves from the sordid perils of actual existence.

· This definition of course does not render full justice to art. For its purpose should also be, must also be, to do more than protect ourselves from the humdrum work-a-day daily life-styles, to enrich it with the appreciation of things of beauty, by providing that value-addition to the quality of our lives.

· British contemporary sculpture is a form of art that does that very well, I think. The special features of the exhibition here today, representing some of the finest artists of our times, are that these are direct carving of figurative motifs of abstract nature devised from natural phenomena. The sculptures depict the grandeur and saga of modern day humanity.

· It is also evident in these art forms that Bangladesh and Britain have a common historical heritage that we share. While we had a past that was rich in sculptures, it was the liberation war that lent vigour and an unique style to the art form. Our national icons like Operajeyo Bangla, Shoparjito Shadinata, Doel square are representative of this genre. Legendary sculptures like Zainul Abedin, Kamrul Hassan, Novera Ahmad, Shamim Sikdar, Abdur Razzak and more have paved the way for a new generation of sculptures who are working creatively at home and abroad. The government lends this phenomenon encouragement. Also we regularly host the largest Asian Biennial doubled as one of Asia's most prestigious art gathering.

· From the narrow point of view of foreign policy, which is really my forte, let me just say art, and its understanding, can and does bring nations together. Britain and Bangladesh share many Commonwealth values and have ties embedded in our intellectual relationship that dates back centuries. This relationship provides the matrix on which today's bilateral, and I would add even multilateral cooperation is also based. My belief is that this exhibition will bring our cultures yet closer together. It is indeed a matter of joy for me now to declare this 'Long Distance Information Exhibition' open.

* * * * *