Sangkalan: Exploring the Language Movement Through Vernacular Print Culture

One of the exhibits of the exhibition Sangkalan opened at Alliance Francaise, Dhaka.

Alliance Française de Dhaka presents Sangkalan, a thought-provoking exhibition that delves into the history and enduring impact of the 1952 Language Movement, explored through the lens of vernacular print culture.

Sangkalan traces how newspapers, magazines, literary supplements, and pamphlets became powerful instruments of resistance, remembrance, and collective identity over the last seven decades. The exhibition brings together original archival materials and carefully curated reproductions, highlighting how language activism was documented, circulated, and sustained through everyday print practices. Visitors will discover the evolving visual and textual languages that shaped public memory and political consciousness surrounding the Language Movement.

In addition to historical materials, Sangkalan features newly produced postcards and posters inspired by archival prints. A curated selection of contemporary artworks responding to vernacular print themes further bridges the past and present, demonstrating how these legacies continue to resonate in contemporary society.

Through this multi-layered presentation, Sangkalan invites visitors to reflect on the vital role of print culture in preserving histories of struggle, shaping cultural identity, and keeping collective memory alive.

About Curator-

Aninda Rahman is a Dhaka-based conceptual artist, curator, and experimental filmmaker working across moving image, print, and curatorial form. His practice engages with what he describes as the “fleeting commons” — ephemeral social, material, and visual spaces at the margins of formal institutions and economies of permanence. Sangkalan marks his fourth exhibition as lead curator, extending his ongoing interest in fragments, archive, and dispersed public memory.

Exhibition Details:

 Dates: 20–28 February 2026

 Opening Reception: 20 February, 6:30 PM

 Venue: Galerie Zoom, Alliance Française de Dhaka, Dhanmondi

 Visiting Hours: 3:00–9:00 PM (Sunday closed)

 Open for All