Dhaka Art Summit 2023 explores metaphors of word and water that have shaped culture

Interview with Diana Campbell Betancourt, chief curator of the Dhaka Art Summit 2023.

Dhaka Art Summit 2023 explores metaphors of word and water that have shaped culture
Salman Toor’s illustration for Amitav Ghosh’s Jungle Nama, 2021 Image: Courtesy of the Salman Toor, Amitav Ghosh, and Harper Collins

The Samdani Art Foundation is presenting the sixth edition of the Dhaka Art Summit (DAS), with an overarching theme of Bonna—both the word for 'flood' and a girl’s name in Bengali.

The exhibition promises to bring together artists, architects, and community groups, weaving together the country’s nuanced relationship with words and water.