Who We Are

Majhi (মাঝি) – is the ubiquitous boatman who ferries, from one bank to the other. Often, he is a solitary soul responding to call of the mighty Padma; taking his small dinghy, battling against the tide.He weaves verses for a song from the wanderlust, and adds to the oral tradition that has inspired writers, poets, and artists. The “Majhi” (মাঝি) knows his destination- with his oar, he lives life, battling the waters and challenges.

Majhi International Art Residency Programme is a yearly itinerant project, staging trans-cultural close encounters around a diverse chosen theme each year, involving international artists from around the globe. The aim of Majhi International Art Residency Programme is to develop an international platform for artists to promote creative connections and cultural exchange between the east and the west. The programme gathers international artists in order to foster mutual understanding and cooperation and open a dialogue between professionals from different corners of the world with those of the South Asian artistic scene.

The initiator and promoter of Majhi International Art Residency Programme, Durjoy Bangladesh Foundation, is a private foundation initiated by Durjoy Rahman in 2018 with the aim to support artistic development and art practices throughout the Global South, holding a special focus on Diaspora artists or part of European communities of migrants, to draw attention to their work in Europe. To do so, the foundation promotes projects and research programmes featuring artists from these geographical regions.