A fifteen-day long painting exhibition of internationally acclaimed Bangladeshi artist Shahabuddin Ahmed is taking place at Gallery Chitrak. The solo exhibition was inaugurated on September 28 and will continue till October 12. The display titled “Shahabuddin 2013” consists of 25 artworks which the celebrated artist has created this year.
All the paintings are done in oil paint and are mostly medium and large in size. As his signature style, the motion in the artworks highlights the power of spirits, a dynamic energy that does not fade easily. Besides, the freedom fighter’s fascination for dominating political figures who dedicated their lives for bringing social change has also been reflected in many of the displayed paintings.
The painting titled “7 March’ 71” can be considered as one of Shahabuddin’s masterpieces carrying historical significance. The composition depicts a significant moment of the founding president of the country, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, delivering his speech on March 7, 1971 on the presence of a huge crowd. The figure of the political leader has been presented in a “larger than life” approach which is even bigger than the crowd. The surrealistic form signifies the impact of his speech that led the entire nation to call a war against Pakistan.
A number of the displayed works, titled “Angry Bull,” “Two Horses” and “Royal Bengal Tiger” present captivating compositions of animals. “Shahabuddin’s recent paintings are more powerful than the previous works considering his precision in playing with motion and space,” said Moniruzzaman, an eminent artist and the executive director of Chitrak gallery.
His positive impression on the country reflects through his artworks. He has been relentlessly portraying the legacy of the Liberation War through bold strokes, vibrant colours and strong figurative expressions in his paintings.
In an interview with Dhaka Tribune, the artist states: “I am an emotional painter. The war is a source of pride and joy for me while I also consider it as memories of a nightmare. But such a war doesn’t happen twice in a lifetime. There are not many who have actively participated in the war and can share the pride. I am one of the luckiest soldiers who remained alive after independence. The legacy is always with me.”
US Ambassador in Dhaka, Dan W Mozena, inaugurated the exhibition as chief guest. Veteran artist Rafiqun Nabi and Deputy Head of Mission of Embassy of France in Bangladesh Babou Kamichetty was present as special guest.