Gallery Cosmos, the artistic wing of the Cosmos Foundation, hosted a three-day special workshop titled 'Alchemy of Light' from June 27 to 29 at Cosmos Atelier71 in Malibagh, Dhaka. Centred on the Cyanotype and Gum Bichromate techniques - two alternative photographic printmaking processes - the event explored the creative possibilities of these alternative photographic printmaking methods, highlighting their distinct aesthetic and experimental potential.

Led by acclaimed artist and educator Juton Chandra Roy, Lecturer at the Department of Printmaking, Faculty of Fine Art, Dhaka University, the workshop brought together 10 Bangladeshi artists from diverse backgrounds: Rashed Sukhon, Naznine Akter, Alia Kamal, Farhana Islam, Sheikh Nahid Hasan, Sharmin Rahman Khan, Sumaita Afrin Shupty, Arup Mandal, Shuvra Talukder, and Bristy Pathan.

The opening ceremony of the workshop on Friday was graced by Gallery Cosmos Director Tehmina Enayet, along with eminent artist and Dhaka University Faculty of Fine Art Professor Dr Anisuzzaman Anis; Dhaka University Faculty of Fine Art Assistant Professor at the Department of Drawing and Painting and Brihatta Art Foundation Co-founder Bishwajit Goswami, Gallery Cosmos Artistic Director Sourav Chowdhury, and the participating artists.

After observing three meaningful, educative and engaging days with artistic enthusiasm and diverse art activities, the workshop came to its closure on Sunday. The concluding day was graced by Cosmos Foundation Chairman, Cosmos Group and Gallery Cosmos Founder and UNB Emeritus Editor Enayetullah Khan; Former Adviser on Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh Caretaker government and Cosmos Foundation President Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury; Gallery Cosmos Director Tehmina Enayet; Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD) Director François Grosjean, Vice President of the Cosmos Group and Executive Director of Gallery Cosmos and UNB Nahar Khan, Dhaka University Faculty of Fine Art Professors Dr Anisuzzaman Anis and Dr Sheikh Mohammad Rokonuzzaman, and UNB Editor Mahfuzur Rahman, among others.

Cyanotype and Gum Bichromate, both 19th-century processes, are known for their distinctive aesthetics. Cyanotype, invented by Sir John Herschel, is recognised for its deep blue tones and was popularised by Anna Atkins. Gum Bichromate combines pigment, gum arabic, and dichromate for painterly, layered images.

The instructor of the workshop, Juton Chandra Roy, is a Bangladeshi printmaker whose practice blends traditional and experimental techniques such as intaglio, lithography, and cyanotype. A graduate of Dhaka University and Visva-Bharati University's Kala-Bhavana, his work has been exhibited in Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Korea, and Ukraine. A recipient of awards including the ICCR Scholarship and Shilpi Rashed Smriti Award, Juton has participated in international residencies and remains actively involved in mentoring young artists and advancing South Asian printmaking.

Remarks regarding the workshop, from the luminaries:

Tehmina Enayet, Director, Gallery Cosmos:

"Since the inception of our Gallery Cosmos and Cosmos Atelier-71, many art enthusiasts from home and abroad have joined to learn, practice and showcase their artistic power regularly. We organise multiple unique art events and artistic ventures in a calendar year, and this special workshop on Cyanotype and Gum Bichromate Techniques under the title 'Alchemy of Light' by acclaimed artist Juton Chandra Roy has been a priority project for us," Gallery Cosmos Director Tehmina Enayet said about the workshop.

"Talented artists from diverse background across the nation joined this workshop including prominent artists-art educators such as Professor Anis, Bishwajit Goswami and others; and they all have enthusiastically learned these relatively new artistic methods together in this workshop, and we will showcase the artworks from the workshop in a future exhibition soon," she added. while acknowledging the support of the instructors and fondly remembering the late eminent artist Kalidas Karmakar, under whose vision the gallery was founded.

Dr Anisuzzaman Anis, eminent artist and Dhaka University Faculty of Fine Art Professor:

"My relationship with Gallery Cosmos goes back many years, and I've had the pleasure of conducting two workshops here. Juton, the instructor, is my direct student, and I've witnessed his dedication to exploring new media, enriched further by his studies at Santiniketan. The works being produced here are a testament to his growth and vision," Professor Anisuzzaman praised the workshop's artistic merit, while mentioning his longstanding association with the gallery.

Bishwajit Goswami, Dhaka University Faculty of Fine Art Assistant Professor at the Department of Drawing and Painting and Co-founder, Brihatta Art Foundation:

Highlighting the novelty of the medium, Bishwajit Goswami said, "This has been a very engaging workshop where two techniques were integrated in creative ways. While Cyanotype is somewhat familiar in our local context, Gum Bichromate remains relatively unknown. As Juton is both a printmaker and educator, trained in these methods at Santiniketan, where they are taken very seriously, this workshop offers an excellent opportunity to learn something new.

While we usually focus on image creation, here we delved into the process behind it, which is equally vital and rewarding. It's encouraging to see young, emerging artists enjoying this collaborative experience. Gallery Cosmos has always supported such distinctive initiatives, with a strong setup and facilities."

François Grosjean, Director of Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD):

"From my perspective, it's particularly commendable that everyone in this unique workshop utilised natural colours, creating a dialogue between art and ecology. With this initiative, you are touching something deeply connected to that link. Our imagination in art comes from nature, and it's important to strengthen that bond," he said, while exploring the workshop and calling it "very innovative"

Juton Chandra Roy, facilitator of the workshop, and Lecturer, Department of Printmaking, Faculty of Fine Art, Dhaka University:

"This workshop stems from the ongoing academic dialogue around alternative art practices, which are crucial. While traditional printmaking often depends on lab-based techniques using specialized tools and chemicals, access to such setups for emerging artists becomes limited after their graduation, and this pushes many artists to explore alternative media.

When I studied Cyanotype in 2014 at Santiniketan, there was already a movement to introduce it in Bangladesh. The support from Gallery Cosmos outside of the academic realm is invaluable-such collaborative learning is truly unmatched. Their consistent dedication to multidisciplinary work is rare in our country. What sets Gallery Cosmos apart is that the people behind it are themselves artists and creatively engaged; they understand the language of art. Instead of prioritising commercial gains, their focus remains on nurturing both the artist and the art. This is how new works, new art forms, and new artists are born. I sincerely thank Gallery Cosmos and Cosmos Atelier 71 for initiating this important workshop."

From the participants:

Visual artist Sharmin Rahman Khan, one of the participants, said she was "enlightened and delighted" to explore the new techniques during the workshop. Another participant, Sheikh Nahid Hasan, shared that the workshop's mediums helped guide his artistic vision. "Cyanotype and Gum Bichromate techniques are based on two distinct elements-light and darkness-and this experience allowed me to experiment with those contrasting characteristics in my art," he said.

Expressing heartfelt gratitude to Gallery Cosmos and Cosmos Atelier-71 for organising this workshop, the instructor of the workshop, Juton Chandra Roy, told Dhaka Courier: "Throughout these three days, we all have passionately explored the techniques of Cyanotype and Gum Bichromate and made some meaningful artworks together. Even though we are closing our three-day workshop today, the artistic exploration and practices will continue, and my cordial gratitude goes to Gallery Cosmos and Cosmos Atelier-71 for hosting us; their support behind art and culture is really commendable."

A future exhibition with all artworks from this workshop will be showcased in a future exhibition, according to Gallery Cosmos Artistic Director Sourav Chowdhury.