Voices of rebellion and harmony: Extending the artistic dialogue

The SOAS gallery and Bengal Heritage Foundation present ‘Voices of Rebellion and Harmony: Extending the Artistic Dialogue’. 

This evening of music and poetry seeks to deepen the artistic discourse through an exploration of identity, coexistence, rebellion, and social justice. Drawing from the works of revolutionary South Asian poets and musicians, the event will weave together early compositions of Kazi Nazrul Islam and inspirations from the Indian People’s Theatre Association (IPTA), including the timeless contributions of Salil Choudhury, Sahir Ludhianvi, Kaifi Azmi, and others.

This evening will be a homage to voices that have shaped resistance and solidarity through artistic expression, fostering a space where poetry and music intersect to create a dialogue between history and contemporary struggles. The key artistes for the evening will be Sujoy Prasad Chatterjee, Tanusree Guha, Amith Dey, Arunava Bardhan and Amit Guha.

The event will begin with a musical performance followed by a tour of the SOAS Gallery’s ‘(Un)Layering the Future Past of South Asia’ Exhibition.

Registration

This event is free and open to the public, but registration is essential. 

About the exhibition

(Un)Layering the Future Past of South Asia: Young Artists’ Voices, the current exhibition at SOAS Gallery, showcases works by 26 young artists from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Afghanistan.

Curated by Salima Hashmi and Manmeet K. Walia, this exhibition serves as a reflection of shared histories, artistic expression, and the aspiration for a more interconnected South Asia. A new seed sown through curatorial collaboration, it seeks to provide a platform for young and emerging artists—those with fresh voices—to share the stories of South Asia on a global stage, allowing their work to be seen beyond their home countries.

The exhibition is presented by The Ravi Jain Memorial Foundation and supported by Dhoomimal Gallery, New Delhi.
It is held at the SOAS Gallery and is on display from 11 April to 21 June, Tuesday – Saturday (10:30am to 5:00pm) and late on Thursdays until 8:00pm.

About the Bengal Heritage Foundation

Bengal Heritage Foundation is registered as a charity (No 1191373), initiated to preserve and promote the heritage of Bengal, in the UK through cultural, educational, industrial, sporting and tourism avenues. In partnership with London Sharad Utsav and British Council, BHF promotes social cohesion between the Bengali Diaspora in the UK and their British counterparts through events that champion artistic and cultural experiences gaining advantage from shared history and values. 

We aim to reach out to audiences cutting across different backgrounds and generations through rich, diverse, sustainable events and celebration of arts, culture and sports with support from government and charity organizations in the UK.