A group exhibition by the 50th batch of the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka is being held at the Zainul Gallery and will continue till March 19. The exhibition is a tribute to Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin marking the great artist’s birth centenary.
Government Institute of Arts and Crafts (now Institute of Fine Arts) was founded in 1948 in Dhaka under the leadership of Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin. Highlighting the legacy of Shilpacharya, a pioneering artist in introducing contemporary art in Bangladesh, around twenty two artists have exhibited their experimental works at the exhibition.
Nazia Masud Khan’s Naree is an acrylic on canvas, which depicts two facets of woman: naïve and strong. With innovative composition, the artist metaphorically creates two separate worlds of women with two different expressions. She said: “Earlier women were seen as weak. The earlier facial expression conveys that they had been accepted as being vulnerable. The other face in my painting shows woman as a strong and confident entity.”
A series of Pijush Kanti Sarkar’s signature work Breaking Wall is on display. He said about his work: “These walls are barriers to one’s dreams. If a person gives effort to overcome these obstructions, he/she would be able to live the dream joyously.”
Asmita Alam Shammy’s Seated is about divinity. In a figurative image she depicts a woman worshipping God ignoring the turmoil in life. “The contours and strokes explain chaos in the environment. My artwork on etching aqua tint is about dedicating yourself to God,” said the visionary artist.
Provati Jharna’s Light of Ray is acrylic on canvas. With her artistic creativity, she portrays a woman boldly, which is dominated by the colour red. She said about her work: “There is always something burning in every human life. Sometimes a person is not able to express the fire inside. The ray represents a passion or yearning that is yet to be realised.”
These creative friends endeavour to reunite and revive their memories of academic art practice at the institution. By realising their dreams and potential, they desire to reach their destination through this exhibition.
The exhibition has been sponsored by the Bellissimo Premium Ice Cream.
