Shapla Singha
Assistant Professor
Email:
shaplasingha@ku.ac.bd
Contact:
01767631483
Address:
Drawing and Painting Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna-9208, Bangladesh.
Shapla Singha is a Bangladeshi visual artist, researcher, and Assistant Professor in the Drawing and Painting Discipline at the Fine Arts School, Khulna University. She has been serving as a faculty member since December 2019.
She completed her Master of Visual Arts (Painting) from Rabindra Bharati University in 2019, securing 2nd merit position (CGPA 8.90/10), and obtained her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drawing and Painting from Khulna University in 2016 with 1st merit position (CGPA 3.92/4.00). Alongside her academic role, she founded Shilpa Bangla (https://shilpabangla.com/) in 2020, an initiative dedicated to promoting Bangladeshi arts and crafts while fostering international artistic collaboration and exchange. Her artistic and research practice focuses on folk culture, environmental art, climate resilience, and cultural heritage preservation.
She has participated in international exhibitions, artist residencies, and symposiums in India, Sri Lanka, China, Thailand, Germany, the Netherlands, and France, contributing to global dialogues on climate change, women’s resilience, and the ecological significance of the Sundarbans. Her work Message for Peace, created for the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of China, received the ‘Dreamland China Appreciation Award’ from the Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh. In 2024, several of her paintings depicting the Bangladesh Liberation War and the 1971 Genocide were acquired by the Bangladesh National Museum.
She has completed several major projects, including a 6,000 sq ft mural at the Sundarbans Interpretation Centre and a diorama at the 1971 Genocide Museum in Khulna. During the same period, she completed a research-based animation project on women in climate-vulnerable coastal regions of Bangladesh, funded by the NWO. National and international collectors and museums have exhibited and collected her works. Shapla Singha remains actively involved in curating, exhibiting, and researching art histories, folklore, digital art, and cultural evolution.
Through her interdisciplinary practice, Shapla Singha engages with themes of climate justice, women’s resilience, ecological transformation, and cultural memory. Her work combines visual storytelling, community engagement, and environmental awareness, contributing significantly to contemporary South Asian art and critical discourse.
Education
2017 – 2019
Master of Fine Arts (MFA), Painting
Faculty of Visual Arts, Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata, India
CGPA: 8.90/10 (A+)
Thesis: Nakshi Kantha Art of Greater Jashore–Khulna: Context on an Indigenous Cultural Heritage of Bangladesh
2012 – 2016
Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), Drawing and Painting
Fine Arts School, Khulna University, Bangladesh
CGPA: 3.92/4.00 (A+)
Current Research Project/Collaboration
Teaching & Professional Experience
Academic Positions
2022 – Present
Assistant Professor
Drawing and Painting Discipline, Fine Arts School, Khulna University, Bangladesh
- Teaching undergraduate and postgraduate courses (theory and studio-based)
- Engaged in research, curriculum development, and academic supervision
- Active participation in academic committees and institutional responsibilities
2019 – 2022
Lecturer (Full-time)
Drawing and Painting Discipline, Fine Arts School, Khulna University, Bangladesh
- Delivered lectures (in-person and online)
- Conducted studio and theory-based courses
- Supervised student projects and supported academic development
Academic & Administrative Roles
2024 – Present
i. Executive Board Member, Academic Council, School of Studies, Fine Arts School, Khulna University
International & Research Engagement
2021 – Present
i. Research Coordinator / Project Manager (Bangladesh Component)
- Collaborations with Utrecht University, Dutch Research Council, IUCN, KfW, WildTeam, UGC Bangladesh, Bangladesh National Museum, 1971 Genocide Museum, and Bangladesh Bank.
- Collaborated with the Centre Interdisciplinaire des Transitions et des Innovations Écologiques et Sociales (CITIES), Université Paris 8; proposed a project in partnership with the UNU Institute for Integrated Management of Material Fluxes and of Resources (UNU-Flores) on interdisciplinary research initiatives focusing on ecological transitions, sustainability, and socio-environmental innovation.
- Role: Visualization expert, contributing to research design, creative methodologies, interdisciplinary knowledge production, and international project coordination.
2024 – Present
ii. Researcher, Cultures of Climate Adaptation Network (CAN)
Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Netherlands
2024 – Present
iii. Advisor Board Member, EQUIMOB Project
(Amplifying Voices of Gendered Urban Inequalities through Art and Creativity)
Bangladesh component, Khulna University
2024 – Present
iv. International Exchange Coordinator
- Coordinating MS students from Utrecht University, Faculty of Geosciences
Teaching & External Engagement
2024
i. Adjunct Faculty Member
Fashion Design Department, Khulna Collegiate Girls’ School and KCC Women’s College, Khulna, Bangladesh
Professional & Institutional Engagement
2021 – Present
i. Member and Research Coordinator
1971: Genocide–Torture Archive & Museum, Khulna, Bangladesh
- Organizing artistic and research-based activities for young learners
2021 – 2024
ii. PUO (Under Officer),
Bangladesh National Cadet Corps (BNCC), Naval Wing, Khulna University
2016 – 2018
i. Executive Board Member
Coastal Research Foundation (CRF), Dumuria, Khulna
- Community-based research focused on rural social development
Memberships & Affiliations
2024 – Present
i. Member, European Geosciences Union (Membership ID: 779890)
2021 – Present
ii. Member, Bangladesh History Congress, Khulna University Branch
2019
iii. Participant, ECOSOC Council, TIMUN Conference, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Professional Training and Capacity Development
2024
i. Training on Assessment under OBE Framework, IQAC, Khulna University
ii. Training on ATF Sub-project Proposal Writing for HEAT, IQAC, Khulna University
iii. Training on Research Project Management, IQAC & Research and Innovation Centre, Khulna University
2023
i. Training on Course Outline and Course File Preparation, IQAC, Khulna University
ii. Training on Teaching and Learning Based on OBE Curriculum, IQAC, Khulna University
iii. Training on Questioning and Assessment under OBE Framework, IQAC, Khulna University
iv. Training on National Integrity Strategy, IQAC, Khulna University
2022
i. Module II: Teaching, Learning and Assessment, IQAC, Khulna University
2021
i. Module I: Teaching and Learning, CETL, Khulna University
ii. Training on Introduction for Lecturers, CETL, Bangladesh
Workshops
2026
i. Workshop on “A 500-Year Food Legacy: Mayan Food Cultures," Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris, France.
2022
i. Workshop on BNQF Accreditation Standards and Criteria, IQAC, Khulna University
ii. Training Programme on Teaching, Learning and Assessment (Module II), IQAC, Khulna University
2021
i. Training on Teaching, Learning and Assessment (Module I), CETL, Khulna University
ii. Workshop on Introduction for Lecturers, CETL, Khulna University
iii. Workshop on Small Objects (Food Focus), conducted by Mahbubur Rahman, Britto Arts Trust, Dhaka
2019
i. Workshop on Art Practice, conducted by Partha Pratim Deb and Amitabh Sengupta, Birla Academy of Art & Culture, Kolkata
ii. “Virasat se Jugalbandi," Drawing and Ink Workshop, conducted by J. Raj, Indian Museum, Kolkata
2018
i. "Mosirekha," Drawing and Ink Workshop, Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata
2014
i. Workshop on Drawing and Printmaking, Dhaka Art Centre, Bangladesh
2013
i. Workshop on “Policritix Art Expression," Bot Tola & Pora Para Art Space, Khulna
Art Camps
2025
i. Participation in Art Camp: 164th Birth Anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore (Akash Kape Tarar Aloy) Organized by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
2024
i. Participation in Art Camp: Sultan Fair 2024, organized by S.M. Sultan Bengal Charukala Mohabidyalay, Narail, Bangladesh, and S.M. Sultan Foundation.
2023
i. Participation in Art Camp: Sultan Fair 2023, organized by S.M. Sultan Bengal Charukala Mohabidyalay, Narail, Bangladesh, and S.M. Sultan Foundation.
2021
i. Participation in Art Camp: Jessore Road in the War of Liberation The event, organized by Bangladesh Sammilit Sanskritik Jot, Jashore, Bangladesh, marks the 50th anniversary of independence.
2020
i. Participation in Art Camp: Art Against Corona, organized by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
2019
i. Participation in Art Camp: Rabindranath Tagore Birth Anniversary (Akash Kape Tarar Aloy)Organized by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
2018
i. Participation in art camp organized by Nandonik, Kolkata, India.
2017
i. Participation in Art Camp: Genocide, organized by Khulna University, Bangladesh.
ii. Participation in Art Camp: Organized by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Tungipara, Gopalganj, Bangladesh.
2014
i. Participation in Art Camp Organized by World Village of Art, Jessore, Bangladesh.
2013
i. Participation in Art Camp (Installation) Organized by Bornika Art Studio, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
ii. Participation in art camp organized by the World Village of Art, Jessore, Bangladesh.
Teaching & Academic Responsibilities
i. Taught theory courses including Archaeology and Heritage Studies, Preservation and Restoration of Painting, Philosophy of Contemporary Art, Museology, Modern Art of Bengal, Research Methods, and Art & Ecology.
ii. Conducted studio-based courses such as Landscape Design, Painting, Sculpture, Nature Sketching, Experimentation with Found Objects, Computer Graphics, Photography, Typography, Digital Art, and Fashion Illustration.
iii. Delivered lectures and engaged effectively with students from diverse creative and academic backgrounds.
iv. Maintained active research engagement through academic reading, conferences, and exhibitions.
v. Supervised MFA-level thesis research focusing on folk motifs, cultural heritage, and visual narratives.
Selected work “Plants and Animal Life” published on the 25th anniversary of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity.
Supervision
| SL | Title | Degree | Role | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Conventional Practice and Expansion of Handicraft in Bangladesh | Masters | Co-Supervisor | 05.01. 2020 | 19.02. 2022 |
| 2 | Institutional Art Education in Bangladesh | Masters | Co-Supervisor | 05.01. 2020 | 19.02. 2022 |
| 3 | Aesthetics in Bangladeshi Crockery: The wake of Industrial Revolution | Masters | Co-Supervisor | 05.01. 2020 | 19.02 2022 |
No Data Available
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Publications, Manuscripts & Creative WorksResearch Dissertation / Monograph (Submitted)2025 i. Singha, S. (2025). Art through home grown heritage: reviving the cultural heritage Embodied in Traditional metal crafts pewter (Kasha in Bangla), Brass (copper and zinc alloy), Bronze (copper and tin alloy) and Copper made products of Bangladesh. Research report submitted to the University Grants Commission of Bangladesh (UGC). ii. Singha, S. (2025). Refining Art Learning through Social Heritage of Khulna City. 2019 |
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