An art exhibition titled ‘Ikrimikri: A World of Picture Books’ at the La Galerie of Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD), enamoring young audiences.
The inaugural ceremony was held on Friday, May 2.
Ikrimikri is a creative platform dedicated to nurturing imagination and learning through picture books. With a strong emphasis on local languages, cultural narratives, and storytelling traditions, Ikrimikri produces beautifully illustrated books and a monthly magazine that capture the dreams, daily lives, and curiosity of children in Bangladesh.
The initiative has grown into a vibrant space for visual storytelling, education, and childhood expression.
The exhibition showcases illustrations from all the picture books published by Ikrimikri, inviting visitors to explore the artistic journey behind each title. Alongside the exhibit, a series of engaging events will be held from May 3 to 7.
These include daily storytelling and story-listening sessions, interactive discussions with artists and publishers, children reading their own stories, and a visual storytelling workshop.
The schedule also features a typography workshop for older students, a hands-on book-making session for Grades 5 to 10, and a concluding drama performance titled Fangsang, presented by children from the BotTola theater group on May 7.
On Saturday, the first session was a storytelling and story-listening event from 5 to 6 pm, where children read aloud from Ikrimikri books and audience members were encouraged to share their own stories. The second session, from 6 to 7:30 pm, featured an interactive discussion with artists, writers, and publishers.
On Sunday, May 4, the day will begin with another storytelling and story-listening session from 4 to 5 pm. From 6 to 7 pm, children and teenagers who enjoy writing will read their own stories during a session conducted by Shanu and Farzana Apu, with their written works also being displayed as part of the exhibition.
Additionally, a special visual storytelling workshop titled “From Words to Images” will be held from 4 to 8 pm in Room No 12, conducted by Sabyasachi Mistry. This workshop requires prior registration.
On Monday, May 5, the storytelling and story-listening session will be held from 4 to 5 pm, facilitated by Aupi Karim. Later, from 5:30 to 7 pm, a typography workshop will be conducted by Dewan Atikur Rahman, aimed at students from Grade 10 to the university level.
On Tuesday, May 6, the gallery will open at 4 pm. A storytelling and story-listening session will be held from 4 to 5 pm, facilitated by Tushar Abdullah. This will be followed by a book-making workshop from 5:30 to 7 pm, conducted by Shamim Ahmed. In this hands-on session, students from Grades 5 to 10 will learn how to create a simple book.
On Wednesday, May 7, the final day of the exhibition, a storytelling and story-listening session will take place from 5 to 6 pm. The event will conclude with a drama performance of Fangsang from 7 to 8 pm, performed by children from the theater group BotTola. The play is based on the Ikrimikri book of the same name.
The exhibition is open to all visitors every day from 3 pm to 9 pm until Wednesday, May 7 at Alliance Française de Dhaka, Dhanmondi.