finearts of bangladesh

The second part of the anniversary exhibitions being hosted by Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts, Rooted Creativity 2, is an exhibition of versatile renditions and amusing perceptions, or rather, a cross of characters of opposite beliefs, blending into an exposition of realisation, flashback, or the reinventing of the reiterative self into a format of creative campaign; for the viewer, an optical journey of various boundaries of sensation. The exposition is a journey of intricate chaos of the creative spirit and again an introduction of various styles and limitations.

Stories of valour
and sacrifices

by Mohiuddin Alamgir

History is a mirror to the past helping future generations clearly understand past events and the individuals who sacrificed their all to make the future brighter for them. Bangladesh’s history is a remarkable example of the notion.

   Various sculptures, monuments, mausoleums, artworks and other such items all over the country has signified the sacrifices made by the millions to achieve the independence for this country. Khulna Press Club has joined this list recently through the thought-provoking terracotta, on its auditorium walls, retelling the story of Bangladesh in 1971 from an unbiased angle.

Excerpt from the story
‘Interrogation’
by Mahmud Rahman

The boys are processed through my station here on the banks of the Jamuna.
   They think they are so smart. They try to rob a bank. To raise money for the struggle, they say. Or they attempt to snatch a policeman’s rifle. To collect weapons for their people’s army, they say. The adaptable ones —those with the rural equivalent of what might be called ‘street smarts’ elsewhere — don’t get caught easily. But I would estimate that as many as eight out of ten of the others do. With few exceptions, they are from what we call ‘good families’. Children who grew up in privilege in the city. Why they think they can survive in the villages — swimming like fish in the sea, they quote Mao — I will never know. To me, they look like fish out of water.
   When I say boys, I do mean boys. I am only responsible for those who are under sixteen. That is my charge from the ministry: to interview the youngest prisoners and choose who qualifies for rehabilitation.
   By the time the boys face me, the constables have already knocked some sense into their skulls. But I have made it clear to my superiors that I shall not have my hands dirtied with that job. I have even managed to get them to agree that the prisoners will be given a bath before I see them. I do not want to see any signs of blood.

    The great ceramic tradition of Bangladesh unfolds in the context of geology. From the world's tallest mountains, mighty rivers roll to the sea. Their silt has built the world's widest delta. The earth of the delta is heaped into mounds that hold the villages above the flood. It is planted to rice so that people might eat. It is shaped and baked into vessels so that water can be carried, food can be cooked, and people can get though another long day.

There are six hundred and eighty villages dedicated to pottery-making in Bangladesh, nearly half a million people who use clay to make art because clay is what there is. They dig and mix two kinds of clay -- one white and sandy, one black and sticky -- treading and kneading them together to make a smooth new substance for creation.

17th Young Artists' Art Exhibition 2010 begins
177 works by 156 artists on display

Riveting images at Shilpakala Photo: Mumit M.Staff Correspondent

A fortnight-long art exhibition, featuring works of young artists from across the country began at the National Art Gallery, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy on April 2. The exhibition features 177 artworks of 156 artists in different mediums -- painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, graphics, and installation.. Information Minister Abul Kalam Azad inaugurated the exhibition.

Organised by the Department of Fine Arts, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA), the exhibition will continue till April 19.

For whom the Heart Throbs ...

Blending Pathos with Passion

Dreams and desires comprise Anokul Mojumder's theme in his third solo exhibit, starting at Shilpangan, Dhanmandi, around mid March. Bicycling through the rain, hail and afternoon heat one has seen him whizzing to and fro from Shilpangan, an art gallery where the 39-year-old painter is often found holding the fort .                                                      

Song of the baul, mixed media on paper, 2009.