Sunara Begum

Sunara Begum (Bengali: সুনারা বেগম; born 22 September 1984) is an English visual artist, filmmaker, photographer and writer of Bangladeshi descent. She uses installation, film, photography and text.

Early life

Begum was born in London, England. She was encouraged to pursue the visual arts by her mother who from an early age would recite stories of growing up in the villages of Bangladesh.^[1] Begum is of Bangladeshi descent^[2] and was brought up with the traditions of her native Bangladesh^[1] in a Sufi-Muslim household.

She began her studies at Camberwell College of Arts.^[3] In 2008, she graduated from Central St Martins College of Art and Design where she completed BA in Fine Art and MFA in Fine Art.^[2] Whilst at Central St Martins College, she spent much of her time recording various visual projects on both abstract and narrative based subject matter, in order to extract, explore and express her artistic vision, primarily through photography and film.^[1] During her studies she also did apprenticeships with the Henry Moore Foundation and Halaqah Media.^[3]

Career

Art

Begum had her first exhibition at the National Annexe Gallery (2004) as part of a group show in Cape Town, South Africa, while still at St Martins. Since then, her solo exhibitions include; The Bargehouse (UK, 2013), St Martin in-the Fields, (UK, 2012), Drik Gallery (Bangladesh, 2011), 198 Gallery (UK, 2010), Departure (UK 2009), Shoreditch Gallery (UK, 2008), with group shows including: October Gallery (UK, 2012), Laphto Art Gallery (Ethiopia, 2010), London Art Fair (UK, 2010), Garden Gallery (Pakistan, 2009), LUDA Gallery (Russia, 2009) and Nolias Gallery (UK, 2008).^[3]

She has collaborated with a wide range of practitioners from the visual arts, music and dance including multi-media artist Trevor Mathison, spoken word artist HKB FiNN, classical composer Tunde Jegede and dancer/choreographer Bode Lawal.^[2]

As a visual artist she has exhibited extensively in galleries across UK and internationally in Europe, Asia and Africa.^[3] From October to November 2010, she exhibited Ara: A New Face of the Old World at the 198 Gallery in London.^[2]

As a photographer she has had her work published in France, UK, China, India and Bangladesh, in magazines and newspapers including Le Monde, and Le Parisien. In September 2010, her first book The Legend of Ara was published – a photographic poetic narrative of a mythical character. Begum's approach to photography contextualises people, places and environments and as an artist she considers herself a Visual-Anthro-Mythologist.^[3]

Film

Begum has also been involved in theatre productions, film and television.^[2] She has worked as a producer and cinematographer on several films including, The Idea and the award-winning feature film 500 Years Later.^[3] She directed her own debut short film Ara's Sojourn to critical acclaim. This featured her dancer and poet sister Shahanara Begum (text/imagery & movement).^[4] This has been followed by several short films, Ara's World (2008), Menantol (2009), Ara Trilogy (2010), The Water's Will (2011) and a new documentary series Truth & Art (2013) featuring three international artists from three continents.^[3]

Begum has continued to develop her own visual narrative-led language on many large-scale projects for productions including, Ancient Futures which has toured internationally, African Messiah at the Royal Opera House, London, Visions of a Traveller at Lyon Opera House and The Planetarium for La Musée des Confluence in Lyon.^[3]

In 2006, Begum founded Chand Aftara, an audio-visual production company which was initially set up to document untold stories through films and documentaries. It is now an interdisciplinary arts organisation that works on international exhibitions, screenings, theatre productions and publishing. It works to develop and harness cultural initiatives centred on the Indian subcontinent and Africa, and it is based in London.

Stage

Begum has also been involved in stage productions for Talawa Theatre Company both as an actress and in stage management.^[1] In 2002, she made her debut performance as an actress on Wide Asleep which was a collection of personal narratives woven together using movement, spoken word, photography and dance, it was performed at Arcola Theatre in London. In 2003, she worked as photographer and stage manager on an experimental piece entitled Pace which was performed by an ensemble at London's Soho Theatre and Tabernacle Arts Centre. In 2004, she worked on an interdisciplinary piece called Reach which was performed at Drill Hall Theatre.

In 2008, Begum worked as producer on a new interpretation of Federico García Lorca's Blood Wedding which was performed at Departure Arts Centre. In 2013, she worked on live multimedia visuals, costume and stage design for the theatre production The Griot's Tale, which was performed at Yinka Shonibare's studio followed by a two-week run at the Africa Centre, London, in 2013 and was part of the first Africa Centre Summer Festival Covent Garden Piazza in London. The Griot's Tale was an inter-disciplinary collaboration featuring actor and storyteller Patrice Naiambana and was written and directed by composer and musician Tunde Jegede.

Community work

In 2011, Begum founded the Chand Aftara Village Teaching Project, where she combines her art forms to share her growing expertise with young people around the world. She offers multi-sensory workshops across continents in UK, Bangladesh, India, Gambia and Morocco with the primary aim of exploring a variety of stimuli and approaches to creating movement, written text, music and visuals individually and in groups. Begum works with a team of visual, sound and movement artists to deliver cross disciplinary workshops that can cater for the needs of a broad range of people, places and environments and to engage global communities.

Style

Begum uses installation, film, photography and text, and has created her own distinct visual language and aesthetic.^[3] Her work combines cinematography and storytelling.^[2] Her main interest is the visual arts.^[1]

Her work is influenced by East and West, and predominantly explores the relationship between people and their environment with themes of migration, exile, memory, identity, gender and femininity as seen in myth, divinity, both historical and contemporary. She draws her influences from the natural world, figurative painting, religious iconography, mystical philosophies and the cultures in which she was raised. The stories together with her own personal experiences are the cultural axis of her work.^[1]

Personal life

Begum lives and works in London.^[1]

Filmography

Film

Stage

Novels

See also

• British Bangladeshi
• List of British Bangladeshis

References

External links