Durjoy Rahman
of Durjoy Bangladesh Foundation
Durjoy Rahman | Art collector with an edge
Durjoy Rahman is one of the most prominent art collectors in South Asia, having been collecting art for over 25 years. His extensive collection includes artworks by contemporary Bangladeshi master painters, Indian great masters, Western contemporary artists, and a number of promising Bangladeshi painters.
Durjoy started collecting paintings in the early 1990s. Since then, he has maintained specific criteria, considering the quality, historical and philosophical aspects of the artwork, and its aesthetic value. “It was never my intention to be an art collector. The first few works that I bought were from 17 years ago when I happened to visit a charity exhibition near my office in Dhanmondi. However, I think what really marked the onset of my journey to becoming an art collector was when I received a painting by Samarjit Roy Chowdhury as a wedding gift from a dear friend. Something piqued my interest that day, and gradually I grew more passionate and started building my collection.”
Durjoy Rahman had always been fascinated by cartoons, graphic design, and pop art. He took a keen interest in the works of Rafiqun Nabi, also known as Ranabi, the creator of the iconic cartoon Tokai. When he would visit overseas galleries and renowned auction houses, he noticed that prints were in high demand, whereas there was a trend of young artists moving away from printmaking. In 2009, he decided to hold an exhibition titled ‘Modern & Contemporary Prints Exhibition,’ comprising rare works of Bangladeshi printmakers as well as renowned modern masters like Rafiqun Nabi, Mohammad Kibria, and Monirul Islam. Again, in 2014, he hosted ‘Ways of Seeing’ to offer viewers a glimpse of his private collection. His fond interactions with senior artists helped him develop and nurture his love for art.
Over the course of 25-plus years, he was able to build a collection that features works by some of the biggest names in the international art arena. Aside from an extensive collection of Bangladeshi artists, his collection includes works by Pablo Picasso, Lucien Freud, Henri Moore, David Hockney, Jamini Roy, MF Husain, Jogen Chowdhury, Atul Dodiya, Rasheed Araeen, Robindro Nath Tagore, Abanindranath Tagore, Ramkumar, Ramkinkar Baij, Akbar Padamsee, John Akomfrah, Jeff Koons, Andy Warhol, Iftikhar and Elizabeth Dadi, Sakuntala Kulkarni, Rahul Kumar, Madhvi Parekh, Manu Parekh, Somnath Hore, Haren Das, Sunil Das, Fransix Tenda Lomba, Abul Hisham, Umut Yasat, Marc Zachary, Gina Beavers, Nibha Sikander, Arshi Irshad Ahmadzai, Rashid Rana, Jamil Naqsh, Paritosh Sen and others.
Durjoy says, “As a collector, I try to impart a message through my collection. I tend to explain it this way: an artist is creating a sign, and the collector at a certain point is taking these signs and putting them together to give another message; the collector is creating something novel and refreshing while expressing himself too. I ask the work of art to speak on my behalf.”
In 2018, Durjoy Rahman founded the Durjoy Bangladesh Foundation (DBF) that supports artists in creating new artworks and engages art practitioners in relevant exhibitions, publications, and residencies. Within a short period, DBF has supported numerous cultural projects focused on South Asian and Middle Eastern, and African (MEASA) art practitioners, collaborating with major organizations.
Durjoy Bangladesh Foundation – established in 2018 to promote art and artist from South Asia and beyond. Our Mission and Vision is – Durjoy Bangladesh Foundation’s mission is to promote art from South Asia and beyond in a critical, international art context.