Dhaka Art Centre has arranged a unique solo-exhibition of the gifted artist Nazmul Haque, titled “Elemental Antiquity.” The displayed paintings are distinctive for having contradictory combinations like primitive and modern style and use of very innocent and robustly vigorous subjects which make the exhibition is a must see for the art lovers. The exhibition started on May 17 and will end today at 8pm.
Through his art, he speaks of a very primitive form of human life, where communion with nature was part of life. The unpretentious ideology of gods and myths or folklore, the epic proration of perfection almost tempt us to go back to our roots. His art is about order of things at an elemental stage.
His medium of choice for his painting is mostly canvas and water colour. The bold use of primary colours, the swans he created and the masculine figures creating his own cupid are simply eye treating. Many will find semblance of SM Sultan, Nandalal and Gauhin in his artworks, by identifying and observing his intention and approach.
Nazmul Haque’s works are to be seen, experienced and felt, their unambiguous complexity is rather difficult to express in words. The 68 canvases displayed are just a tiny portion of his vast archive of paintings that consists of thousand of works which the artist has no intention of displaying. He doesn’t paint to live, rather lived through his paintings. All the works portrayed depict the story of his life for the last 22 years.
Nazmul is an artist who is driven solely by inspiration. He relates to his artwork and is often prompted in tearing up his finished pieces if he believes that his honest expression is absent from the piece. Nazmul is not only an artist, but also a philosopher and environmentalist and these identities reflect in his art. He is a misfit among regular people as there is an ambience of dreamlike quality surrounding him at all times. He is one of a kind and belongs to an exclusive class of his own.
The curator Shehzad Chowdhury spoke with enthusiasm, by being inspired by the artist: “His art is simple in a very complex level and it almost hits us with its innocence and questions our very existence. I simply want to be in his work,” he said showing one of the forest paintings called “Bon Prohori.”
Poet Asad Chowdhury inaugurated the exhibition as chief guest and on the occasion stated his take on the artist’s work:
“On one level, Nazmul’s work has a scary and enthralling quality, as it is becomes almost impossible for me to move from one frame to another as each one has a lot to tell beyond its pseudo surface and has a story connected to the artist’s real life as he painted a part of the endeavour.”
