Emran Sohel is a Bangladeshi-born interdisciplinary art practitioner. Currently Emran lives in Vienna, whose work springs from his interpretations of local and global contexts surrounding modernity, postmodernity, and other contemporary conditions that defy categorisation. His focus is on how time, space, shapes, materials, forms, and political, cultural, and social behaviours influence one’s feelings. He operates within the space between natural and man-made environments, as well as personal and social timelines, while considering the hidden lives of plants and objects.

Emran places particular emphasis on performance and public art within the context of public acts, believing that performance art has become a neo-platform for critical social and cultural practice in public spaces. He has explored various forms of expression, including painting, assemblage, sculptural installations, performance, and interactive projects.

He is one of the founding members of the Bangladesh-based collective artist group called DAAGI and is involved in the collective initiative “Shoni Mongol Adda,” which focuses on sharing ideas and discussions with the local community. Additionally, he has collectively driven the art café ‘ReeLi (ঋঌ),’ which aims to engage with art actions as performative acts.

Represented 

Recent activity

*2025- “Everything is not everything-Facing counter realities” hosted by Ursula Maria Probst, organised by MuseumsQuartier, Vienna.

*2025- “Body Embedding” a group exhibition at FLUCC Vienna, curated by Hongwei Duan & Ursula Maria Probst.

*2024- “Death sentence” a group exhibition curated by Jewel A Rob at Bengal art gallery.

*Research assistant of “Bangladesh folk and folk-art foundation and thoughts of Zainul Abedin” Research by Dipti Rani Datta (Assistant prof. of Oriental art, Faculty of fine art, Dhaka University)   

*Participating artist of the ‘documenta fifteen’ in Kassel, Germany, 2022 as part of Britto Art Trust. 

Daagi Collective exhibition-

2023– Zero Calorie- Daagi collective exhibition. 

2021- “Masculinity” under the banner of Goethe-Institut Bangladesh, 2021- “Chobi Mela Shunno” Participated as collective artist group, International Festival of Photography.

2018- Participated Dhaka Art Summit in Artist led initiative as a collective artist group, Daagi art garage. 

2016- “Weapon can’t kill” organize by Daagi art garade, south asian media institude.

Site specific art/Public art project: 

2019 – Chobi Mela [X], International Photography Exhibition.

2019 – D’LAB Dhaka live art biennale 2019, Organize by Back Art foundation, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

2018 – Shilper shohor Dhaka, organized by shilpokola academy, 18th Asian art biennial.

2018 – Project title “Topography of Mirror Cities”, Bangladesh Exhibition title “ShohorNama”, Curated by Mahbubur Rahman (Bangladesh) & Sandy Hsiu-chih Lo, (Taiwan). 

2017 – International Site specific art project organized by “uronto residential art exchange program” Season seven at Shunamgonj, Sylhet.

2016 – Performance Art Week, organized by Bengal Foundation. 

2015 – “1mile² Dhaka 2015” at Old Dhaka, A public art project 05 Dec 2014– 02 Jan, Organize by Britto Art Trust, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

2015 – “Village Myth” at Chadpur, Dawodkandy, Comilla, Organize by Back Art foundation, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

2014 – “URBAN HOUR” at Rose Garden, Gopibag Dhaka, Organize by Back Art foundation, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

2014 – “DHAKA ART PROJECT” 3 mounts long project (international online platform base art project), Dhaka, Bangladesh.

2014 – “LIVING SCRAP’S” at Hossain Dockyard (Baby shaheberdock) Char Miner Bagh, Keraniganj, opposite site of the Sadarghat Launch Terminal, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

2014 – “NO MAN’S LAND” Organize by Britto Art Trust, Bangladesh and Shelter Promotion Council, India.

Solo show

2021 – Response to Numbness as an sites pacific execution of amid covied-19, Under the banner of ‘Futures beyond the self’ supported by Goethe-Institut Bangladesh, as an extended project of zero waste food art organized by Britto art trust.  

2017 – “A private view” at Cafe ReeLi (ঋঌ), 81/A kakrial battery goli, Dhaka-1000.

Exhibition Design (Curation) 

2023- Curated “”কাল, সংস্রব এবং পরিভ্রমণ “/”The Wayfarer’s Travelogue” of Nahud ul Islam. 

2022- Curated “Reminiscence of 824/A” site-specific solo exhibition of Sarah Jabin.

2022- Co-curated 19th Asian art biennale of performance part, curated by Abdus Salam. 

2019- Outcome and documentation of yearly site-specific art project call “Urban hour” at Edge Gallery, organized by Back Art Foundation. 

Group exhibition

2023- “আপন ঘরে পরের আমি” curated by Mustafa Zaman. 

2021- Art Future Prize 2021, at Grand Hyatt Taipei, Taiwan. 

2021- Futures beyond the self, Multidisciplinary artist engagement jointly organized by Goethe-Institut Bangladesh and KalaKendra, Dhaka.

2019- UNSEEN- Curated by Mustafa zaman and sharmillie rahman at Bengal Foundation, Dhaka. 

2018- LEELAPARAB-1 an Exhibition by Syed muhammad zakir and Emran Sohel, curate by Mustafa zaman at Dwip Gallery, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

2018- 18th Asian art biennial. 

2018- “Whom I know” A group show, at cafe Mango. 

2018- Group show “Subtext” by invited, organize by Bengal Foundation, Dhaka, Bangladesh. 

2017- Group Show Curate by Ruxmini Choudhury (Ass. curator of Samdani art foundation), Gallery “LLLLLL”, Vienna. 

2017- “Ephemeral: perennial” exhibition of outcome from performance art week, Organize by Bengal Foundation, Dhaka, Bangladesh. 

2017- Live Art Biennale organize by Back Art Foundation, Dhaka, Bangladesh.   

2016- self-identity at National Museum Organized by Prothom Alo. Dhaka, Bangladesh.

2016- Group art exhibition Organized by Shoni- MongalAdda at Tok restaurant, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

2016- 20th young artist exhibition 2016, organize by Bangladesh shilpoka academy. Dhaka, Bangladesh.

2015- “CHOBI MELA [Vii]” Collaborate with International photography exhibition, Curate by Muhammad Mahbubur Rahman and Munim Wasif, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

2015- “The Anonymous” curate by WakilurRahman, invitation from Kalakendra, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

2014- “PARFORMANCE ART FESTABLE” at ChhobirHaat, Organize by Chhobir Haat, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

2014- “Only Connect: Experimental” Organize by Daly Star and Bengal Arts present, Dhaka, Bangladesh

2014- public art project of “CROSS-CUSTING” Art Exhibition, Organize by Britto Art Trust, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

2013- 10th anniversary of ChhobirHaat group Exhibition, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

2012- Annual Art Exhibition of Kala Bhavana, Academy of Fine Art, Kolkata, India.

2010- Annual Art Exhibition of Kala Bhavana, Academy of Fine Art, Kolkata, India.

2009- Annual Art Exhibition of Kala Bhavana, Academy of Fine Art, Kolkata, India.

2009- Barger Annual Exhibition, Gainual Art Gallery, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

2008- Annual Art Exhibition, Nandan Gallery, Kala Bhavana, VisvaBharati, Santiniketan. India.

2007- “Art Camp 2007”, RangamatiSilpakala Academy, Rangamati, Bangladesh.

2007- “Art Camp 2007”, Silpangan Art Gallery, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

2006- Annual Art Exhibition, University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh.

Workshop / art camp / Residency

2020– Four day long site-specific public art camp, Nilfamari, Bangladesh.   

2019- One-month long residency at space A, Kathmandu, Nepal.  

2019- 3 weeks’ workshop come residency at Chander Haat, Kolkata, India.

2019– 2nd Charukola utshab, gazipur, Bangladesh.  

2018- Workshop “EXITING ART” with Rashid Rana, Organize by Dhaka Art Summit.

2018- Workshop on “Imagine Art being Nature, Imagine How Art is Inventing A New Way of Sensing the Real” with Eveline Wüthrich, Venue: Education Pavilion, Dhaka Art Summit. 

2018- Workshop on “TELEVISION FOR DEAD PEOPLE. ARCHITECTURE FOR CHICKENS. ART FOR ALIENS” with SUPERFLEX. Dhaka Art Summit. 

2017- Art camp “Unseen” at Gazipur, Organize by 180-degree initiative.    

2017- Art Camp Revisiting South Bangla-1, Satkhira, Iswaripur.

2015 – Pixelation-4 new media art workshop Organize by Britto Art Trust, Dhaka.

2016 – 1st Charukola utshav, Lalmonirhaat, Bangladesh.

2015 – Cyanotype print workshop by Juton Chandra Roy, Organize by Kala kendra gallery, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

2015 – “Refracting Rooms” Organize by KHOJ Pune International Workshop at The Talera Institute of Fine and Applied Arts (TIFA), Pune, India.

2013 – 15 day’s Residency program at gallery JolRong, Dhaka.

2013 – printmaking art camp (Etching and Drypoint), Organize by Sunno Art Space, Lalmatia, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

2013 – Painting Workshop Association with SSVAD, Santiniketan, Organize by State Bank of India, Local Head Office, Kolkata, India.

2013 – Workshop with Dr. Anthony Haughey, Organize by British Council, Kolkata, India.

2011 – Printmaking Workshop (woodcut), Conductor by Anisuzzaman,

Organize by Cosmos Atelier71, Printmaking Studio, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

2011 – Installation Workshop “presence of past”, Organize by Kala Bhavana, Visva Bharati, Santiniketan, India.

2011 – Art Camp in Hyderabad, India.

2011 – Paper making workshop, Conductor by Sanchayan Gosh,

2009 – Japanese Ink Painting Workshop, Organize by Kala Bhavana, Santiniketan, India.

2008 – Television Set Design Workshop, Faculty of Fine art, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

2008 – Japanese Ink Painting Workshop, Organize by Kala Bhavana, Santiniketan, India.

2007 – “Art Camp 2007”, Rangamati, Banderban and Khagrachari, Bangladesh.

Grand and Award

# ‘Futures beyond the self’ 2020, Initiated by Goethe-Institut Bangladesh. 

# Art Future Prize 2021, platform for emerging artists in Asia, by Formosa Art Fair Co., Ltd. Taiwan. 

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