Dhali Al Mamoon Fund

Dear Friends,

By now you must be all aware about the extent of our friend and artist Dhali Al Mamoon's injuries from the road accident that took the lives of Tareque Masud and Mishuk Munier as well as three others. He is suffering from massive injuries in the ribs, jaws and arms. He is on life support with artificial ventilation.

Mamoon’s role in the cultural sphere is well known and his commitment to anti-fundamentalism and humanism is well known. He is a professor of Chittagong University, Institute of Fine Art.

Having realized the gravity of the situation and the extent of expenses involved, which is estimated to run over a crore of rupees, we as fellow artists wish to assist Dhali in this emergency. Accordingly, Khoj Kolkata appeals to all friends and well-wishers  to contribute generously for his treatment.

Please send your contributions by a/c payee cheque in favour of “Khoj Kolkata Artists’ Initiative” or by net transfer to the following address:

Khoj Kolkata Artists’ Initiative
c/o Abhijit Gupta
68G, Purna Das Road, Kolkata - 700 029
phone: +91 33 2466 1526
e-mail: khojkolkata@gmail.com

for the net transfer

Khoj Kolkata Artists' Initiative
A/c. No: 31649478548
State bank of India
Branch code: 07195
IFS code SBIN00007195
MICR: 700002041

Those of you who reside in Kolkata may deliver the cheques to Chhatrapati Dutta, Dr. Paula Sengupta or the undersigned.

Please do not forget to mention your name or the name of the organisation as the same would be published on our website (www.khojkolkata.org) to maintain transparency in the proceedings. In case you do not wish us to publish your name or the amount of your contribution please do notify us through an email addressed to khojkolkata @gmail.com.

The funds will reach the Secretary of Culture, Government of Bangladesh (who is presently dealing with Dhali’s treatment expenses) through the Bangladesh High Commission in Kolkata. Nisar Hossain (prominent artist of Bangladesh and friend of Dhali) will ensure appropriate utilization of funds.

We wish Dhali Al Mamoon a speedy recovery.

Regards.

Abhijit Gupta
Khoj Kolkata

Dear friends,

Artist Dhali al-Mamoon (professor, Fine Arts, Chittagong university), who was critically injured in the August 13, 2011 road accident in which internationally acclaimed film director Tareque Masud, ATN News CEO Mishuk Munier and 3 members of their shooting crew died -- has reached Bangkok Hospital this evening (August 19, 2011), and has been admitted to the hospital.

As you probably know, Dhali was critically injured in the accident, he suffered massive injuries in his ribs, jaws, chest and shoulder. He was on life support with artificial ventilation at Square Hosital (Dhaka). His lungs were injured as a result of the rib fracture. While at Square, his jaw was operated upon; according to the surgeon, the operation was successful.

Dhali is accompanied by his wife Dilara Begum Jolly, herself an acclaimed artist, and their friend, Shahaduzzaman, writer and medical doctor.

Jolly too was injured in the accident (right arm fracture). The air ambulance took off from Shah Jalal airport (Dhaka) at 15:20pm, and landed at Bangkok airport at 20:20pm local time (19:20pm BDT).

I received this sms from our friend Sajjad Sharif (in Dhaka) a while ago, `They are now in the hospital. Pablo is also with them. Admission process is going on. Representative from the (Bangladesh) embassy is taking care. Mamoon is ok.'

And immediately after, a phone call from Shakhawat (Jolly's brother, in Dhaka) who has spoken to Shahaduzzaman, who confirmed that Mamoon is okay.

By all accounts Dhali's treatment and recovery is going to be a long haul, please pray for Dhali. It is also going to be very expensive, hence contributions from his friends and well-wishers are welcome. If you wish to know more about this, please contact Lala Rukh Selim .

best/r

2010 over all view

been lazy-- writing this from a month.

new year finished, art summit finished and now jan 2011 will finish

anyways 2011 when we have the first Skoda girl --i have been thinking of giving away few awards in Archanadevis name. atleast let me nominate few likings and dis-likings.

2011 started very well with the show -- ‘Against All Odds: A Contemporary Response to the Historiography of Archiving Collecting and Museums In India’

Cuarted by: Arshiya Lokhandwala, Venue: Lalit Kala Akademi, Lalit Kala Akademi, National Academy of Art, Ministry of Culture, Government of India, Sponsoring this show.
 -- after a long time saw a well curated show. all the projects just looked perfect. well displayed and well selected works. the most interesting thing was the concept -- the right concept at the right time.
giving arshiya the full credit --as had to work with the bureaucratic institution and make this kind of show possible.


I have been thinking, if i can concentrate just on visual arts...... then last year has been quite interesting, because I entered into a different role. I did get a new identity --maybe promotion, with no UGC scale salary nor a critic fee or a catalog writers fee. Catalog writing is paid per word, so it is best to higher somebody to type, as i can give a speech for many hours.

is it true there where better films made than VA?

lot of my friends are not liking being in a lists or a rating so i decide to make many kinds of list.

lists or rating of what i have seen, i remember, i liked, i hated, i reacted........



Indian artist shows -----  what i remember and liked:

# 1. Nalinis retro in Lassune, (full show), To see an artists 50 years work in one space --takes you to the journey of history. the show was ofcource a autobio of the artist, the way it was dispalyed and made go around each space was like a satidfied after reading a novel.

# 2. Sudershans museum show in Baujilad, Bombay, (one work)

# 3. Samuha projects, Bangalore, (the whole project),

    ps: archanadevi chamber looked lovely. i loved this work of mine and its display in samuha

    i did create the same feeling in delhi on 12th jan -- against all odds -curated by arshiya. i loved my represntation of replicas.

# 4. Sanchayans show in experimenta, Calcutta (one work)

# 5. Ranbir in Volte (the last entry), beutifully displayed. what a show, talks about the artists past 10 years or more, the works where so strong, frankly i wouldnt care for the space or the display. The thread work is always a fav work of mine. the subtle magic which he brings in, makes me stay silent.



Non indian artist shows:

1. Pipoliti ritz, baden

2. Martin Berlin biennial --his film

3. artist initated show on a street in geneva --building squatted by artist

4. Regulas ongoing project. from past 7 years on thursdays two ladies Croche in public space. it is the same piece they continue. people join them.



landscape of the year

1. pehelgaon

2. engleberg /alps

3. rann

4. rome

city of the year

1. Berlin

2. Basel /aarau /  zurich / burgdorf

3. Srinagar

4. Rome

5. Bujh



food of the year

Rotla and baigun bharta

johar roti and saar

Ragi mudde and kori saar

fonduo

cabbage in rome

jelatos

open dosa



new recipes

raw vege pickels -- aam aada + adrak + green chilli

rosti

soft idlli

kadab

shamigee

all kinds of tambli

lots of diffrent kinds of saar

banana paisaa

nutun guds rice kher



Good films i saw this year

LSD

SUper

Rajnikant * ( shivai and robort) concept and him i loved dint bother of others actors in the film.

Rajulas film on Kabir

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