MD TOKON
Md Tokon’s practice is characterized by a dynamic engagement with contemporary urban life, migration, memory, and identity. Working primarily in painting and mixed media, he develops layered compositions that merge personal experience with broader social narratives. Drawing from both his Bangladeshi roots and his life in the United States, his works navigate the intersections of culture, place, and belonging, often balancing expressive visual language with conceptual inquiry.
Born in Jhenaidah, Bangladesh, in 1978, Md Tokon completed his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Institute of Fine Arts (now the Faculty of Fine Arts), University of Dhaka, in 2000. He later moved to the United States, where he continued his artistic development at the Art Students League of New York and earned a degree in Studio Art and Design from the City University of New York. His experiences across different cultural contexts have played a significant role in shaping his contemporary artistic perspective and practice.
Tokon has exhibited extensively in the United States and Bangladesh through solo and group exhibitions, art fairs, and institutional presentations. His works have been shown at the Queens Museum, Hammond Museum, Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, and the John David Mooney Foundation, among other venues. He has also participated in major art fairs, including Art Southampton and the Dhaka Art Summit. In 2023, he presented a major solo exhibition at Edge Gallery, Dhaka.
His works are represented by leading galleries and institutions, including Bonhams Auction House, London, Trimper Gallery, Connecticut, and White Room Gallery, New York. His paintings are held in private collections across Bangladesh, the United States, and beyond, reflecting his growing international presence within contemporary art.
Major Accolades:
Best Work at Red Dot Awards, Art Students League of New York, NY, USA (2007, 2008, 2012, 2014)
Grand Prize, AfterSputnik Art Project, NY, USA (2009)
Richard Lillis Memorial Scholarship, NY, USA (2012)
