Zooming self-thinking process and self-contemplation

Woodcut printmaking is laborious, exhilarating and stimulating. It offers tremendous outcome with an opportunity for rethinking, reexamining and reworking. In the sub-continent, the practice of printmaking received vast popularity when the Kala Bhavan was established by the Tagore family in the beginning of the 19th century. The family previously established "Bichitra Club", where new styles and techniques of printmaking were explored. However, in our country, the medium (Woodcut) was introduced by Safiuddin Ahmed, Quamrul Hassan, Rafiqun Nabi, Abdus Satter and finally Anisuzzaman. But the medium did not get adequate response for various reasons. Though a number of gifted and promising printmakers have given ample times for popularising the medium, amongst them, Mohammad Fakhrul Islam Mazumder known as Shakil is one of the passionate printmakers who have been carefully practicing almost all sub-genres of prints. Each genre opens for him a new window where he gets a new flavour of thinking process.
This is Shakil's first solo exhibit, and justifiably quite important in the artist's career. His works mainly plunge deep into woodcut and a few lithographs. His prints are considered to be pure realistic and his work zooms in on self-realisation, self-thinking process and self-observation through himself. Most of his works are engrossed with a single figure, which is himself in varied movements. His mode of expression is usually realistic, depicting particularly himself with different configurations. His works are suggestive of the human body. The artist often portrays human forms in both usual and unusual ways. His prime aim is to highlight the movements of human body and also to emphasise the inner struggle and torment of human beings. At times, his works have focused on figural movements and their significant articulations.
Shakil's pet subjects include intimate relationships, personal perception and thinking process to scrutiny the inner pain, struggle and longing. He also keeps his eyes on the country's socio-economic and political conditions which are very much connected to his prints and it can be easily said that his prints are truly the reflection of the society.
The background of most of his compositions is occupied by delightful hues and soft tones. Throughout his career, Shakil has concentrated on a very limited theme. Sometimes his mode of expression is figurative expressionism and at times he etched light and forms through the approach of realism. Light and shade superbly interplay into his prints and he cautiously keeps a balance between figure and overall composition. It's very difficult to maintain the balance between both of the ingredients. Most of all, his prints are technique oriented and have a great touch of aestheticism.
Shakil is a printmaker who has closely observed many aspects of human life. The human lives of different aspects, socio-economic structure, common people and their way of life tremendously impact his prints. All these elements are meticulously portrayed in his works. His constant search for novel themes has assisted him in acquiring firm footing in the interpretation of human life.
Shakil began his career as a realist printmaker. But with the passage of time, he has refined himself. Consequently, new-fangled composition and different types of objects have been added to his works. He is an emotionally charged printmaker and he etches what he feels in the core of his heart. His signature form is a recurring figure. The artist's aim is to translate emotions. His figures are stylistic rather than realistic. Another important feature of Shakil's work is his concentration on the relationship between inner and external movement.
Shakil's prints on display focus on the strength and power inherent in humans. His figures are bold and valiant. The artist has used space to interact with figures. The combination of composition, where one figure almost melts or dissolves into the other, expresses how dependent we are on one another for love and affection.
Shakil's images demonstrate a certain sensibility. His "Still Life" and study-based works depicts fruits, human figures and some recurrent objects. His "still life" exudes a peaceful, serene and contemplative ambiance. The works mainly depict inanimate objects -- artificial and natural. Some of his prints are study-based and the themes as well as techniques are closely connected to realistic and impressionistic styles. At times the hues appear vibrant, and at times subdued. Most images have a sensible and pleasing look. There is also the gentle decorous effect of elegant realistic forms and shapes. Shakil's deep understanding of the mediums (woodcut and lithograph) and his great zeal for the themes always assists him to create something mind-boggling and alluring. His prints look neat and clean, and always avoid ornamentation. His prints are fresh, extraordinary and provide the spectators a sense of pure bliss and joy. His compositions are lively and have the right kind of restraint. He knows where to stop.
Evidently, Shakil has good control over mediums and compositions. His hues have a strange lucidity with various phases coming into play as he creates a link with figures. A number of his images feature human hands with their varied articulation. The limbs come across as forceful and active. He wants to add variation to his repertoire.
Mazumder Shakil's solo print exhibition titled "The Odyssey of the Soul" was inaugurated on January 17 and will continue till January 23.