KANAK CHANPA CHAKMA
Kanak Chanpa Chakma’s practice is distinguished by its vibrant engagement with indigenous identity, cultural memory, and the natural landscapes of the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Working primarily in painting, she combines semi-realistic figuration with expressive abstraction to depict the lives, traditions, and resilience of Bangladesh’s ethnic communities, with women occupying a central place in her visual narratives. Her richly layered compositions draw inspiration from indigenous textiles, festivals, music, and everyday life, transforming personal memory into a broader meditation on heritage and belonging.
Born in Tabalchari, Rangamati, in 1963, Kanak Chanpa Chakma studied Drawing and Painting at the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka, receiving her BFA in 1984 and MFA in 1986. She later attended Pennsylvania State University as a Mid-American Arts Alliance Fellow (1993–94), an experience that expanded her artistic vocabulary while reinforcing her commitment to representing the cultural landscapes of her birthplace. Over the course of her career, she has established herself as one of Bangladesh’s most celebrated contemporary painters and was awarded the Ekushey Padak in 2023 for her contribution to fine art.
Kanak Chanpa Chakma has presented numerous solo exhibitions and participated in over one hundred group exhibitions across Bangladesh and internationally, including Australia, India, the United States, Germany, France, England, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Her paintings are held in significant public and private collections at home and abroad, reflecting the enduring relevance of her exploration of indigenous life, cultural identity, and the human experience.
Major Accolades:
Chairmans Award, CARDMA Art Contest (1990)
2nd Prize in Modern Painting, International Miniature Art Contest, USA (1992)
National Award for Best Painting, 15th National Art Exhibtion, Bangladesh (2002)
Grand Award, Latin American Art Museum, Florida, US (2003)
Zainul Abedin Memorial Award, Banngladesh (2003)
Best of The Show, Art Museum of the Americas, Washington D.C., USA (2006)
Olympic Fine Arts Gold Medal, Beijing, China (2008)
Bachsas Award (Best Art Direction) for Gohine Shobdo, (2010)
National Film Award (Best Costume Design) for Jonakir Alo, Bangladesh (2014)
Ekushey Padak, Govt. of Bangladesh (2023)
