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UICA to Receive $10,000 Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts

The Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts of Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University (UICA)

GRAND RAPIDS – National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Jane Chu has approved more than $80 million in grants as part of the NEA's second major funding announcement for fiscal year 2018. Included in this announcement is an Art Works grant of $10,000 to The Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts of Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University (UICA) in support of Transitions: New Photography from Bangladesh. The Art Works category is the NEA's largest funding category and supports projects that focus on the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence, public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts, and/or the strengthening of communities through the arts.

The variety and quality of these projects speaks to the wealth of creativity and diversity in our country,” said NEA Chairman Jane Chu. “Through the work of organizations such as UICA in Grand Rapids, Michigan, NEA funding invests in local communities, helping people celebrate the arts wherever they are.”

Transitions: New Photography from Bangladesh is a traveling exhibition of new Bangladeshi photography originally curated by the Bangladeshi American Creative Collective. This group show The Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts of Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University (UICA)features nine Bangladeshi photographers whose work re?ects a diverse group of people, shifting economies and changing lands. Its aim is to not only to collect and exhibit photography as art, but also as ideas about the country of Bangladesh.

These photos navigate the stories of Bangladesh’s people, landscapes, and its position in the world. The exhibition initiates important discussions around the meaning of changes, shifts and transitions across generations and communities.

Participating artists include Arfun Ahmed, Taslima Akhter, Debashish Chakrabarty, Rasel Chowdhury, Samsul Alam Helal, Jannatul Mawa, Manir Mrittrik, Saikat Mojumder and Tapash Paul.

“It is critical to present exhibitions of work that tell contemporary stories like the ones re?ected within Transitions: New Photography from Bangladesh,” shared Miranda Krajniak, UICA’s executive director. “By sharing these evocative and sometimes arresting works, we can tell the stories relevant to Bangladeshis and Bangladeshi Americans, and can question how we, locally, can connect to both the narratives within these works and to those of our global community.”

Transitions: New Photography from Bangladesh will be on view June 1-Aug. 26, 2018 and will be presented throughout UICA’s expansive fourth and ?fth ?oor galleries. Details about the exhibition, the opening night event, and current and upcoming programming can be found at uica.org.

Transitions: New Photography from Bangladesh is supported by Ferris State University, The Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, The National Endowment for the Arts, The Daniel and Pamella DeVos Foundation, The Grand Rapids Community Foundation and Vias Marketing

About UICA

Located on the busiest intersection in Grand Rapids, the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts builds creative community by fostering new forms of expression, promoting collaboration, and providing genuine experiences with contemporary art. Visit UICA for more information.

Artwork credits in order:

Arfun Ahmed, Olympia Burka , 2014 Digital Print

Jannatul Mawa, Close Distance, 2011- 2014 Digital Prints