Cherished as a cultural hub, Lalmatia welcomed a new gallery near the premises of Lalmatia Housing Society School. The official launching of the gallery Art Bangla Foundation took place on September 17, 2022 with the inauguration ceremony of a group exhibition, "Pratibimba Parampara".

From left (back row): Professor Nisar Hossain, Dean, FFA, DU; Rupali Chowdhury, MD, Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited ; Asaduzzaman Noor; Monirul Islam; Abul Khair, Chairman, Bengal Foundation; Hashem Khan; K M Khalid, State-Minister for Cultural Affairs, Rafiqun Nabi; Mohammad Eunus, Chairman Art Bangla Foundation.

State Minister of Cultural Affairs, K M Khalid attended this event as the chief guest. The Director General of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Liaquat Ali, the managing director of Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited Rupali Chowdhury, and the Dean of the Dhaka University's Fine Arts, Prof. Nisar Hossain, were present as special guests. Prominent actor and Member of Parliament Asaduzzaman Noor graced the ceremony as well. Art Bangla Foundation honoured artists and art enthusiasts Samarjit Roy Chowdhury, Mustafa Monwar, Hashem Khan, Rafiqun Nabi, Monirul Islam, and Abul Khair with crests for their outstanding contribution to art and culture.

Art Bangla Foundation, as an initiative, was born in 2015. Later on, the idea evolved further and took the form it is today.

The tiny spaces of Art Bangla Gallery are wreathed with jaw-dropping artworks from artists who contributed in finding a new identity of Bangladesh, after our liberation. The first painting that might catch your eyes upon the entrance would be Kalidas Karmakar's long rectangular abstract mixed media piece with collage, and a plethora of colors used with much depth and dominance. This first room also contains Farida Zaman's thought-provoking square piece "Amar Desh" in bold yellow and black. Above this are two vivid blue Kamal Kabir paintings with lovely abstractions labeled "Freedom". The real-life hens and roosters are wonderfully painted by Alakesh Ghosh. Abdul Mannan's "Bank of Jamuna" portrays a realistic scene with an unreal beauty.  

The next room holds a vibrant urban fantasy scenery "Golapi Meghe Shobuj Tia" by Nazlee Laila Monsur. Naima Haque painted a modern girl with guitar in greyscale labeled "A Bird Thought to Be". Dominating the room is Samarjit Roy Chowdhury's "Storming Wind" with a mix of deep and light shades in chaotic brushstrokes.

The largest piece in the gallery "Jump" belongs to Shahabuddin, and it is a semi-realistic figure drawing with large brushstrokes and character tones depicting a person in motion. An S. M Sultan piece is there with the usual rural scenery. Hashem Khan's "Baul" show his conventional portraits with versatile, eye-soothing backgrounds in dynamic brushstrokes. Zainul Abedin's watercolour landscape is hung there with all its glory. The tiny yet majestic black and white masterpiece "Guun Tana" is a wood engraving by Safiuddin Ahmed. The innermost space contains a niche that holds a blue tapestry by Rashid Choudhury that appears to be two figures embracing each other, portrayed in geometric shapes.

Aside from these, the Art Bangla gallery is adorned with more legendary artists' artworks that would leave one mesmerized and overwhelmed. The exhibition is a sea of information one can dive into, and come out with much knowledge. This open-for-all exhibition will run at Art Bangla Gallery till October 1, 2022.