A pioneering watercolourist, Hamiduzzaman Khan is always searching for the esoteric chapter of creations in his voyages through the vast diverse ocean of nature. Most of his watercolours evoke a symbiotic relationship with bucolic nature and its various aspects. The simple life, panoramic view of rural ambiance where one can see the boats, untainted nature, riverine life, hardworking folks and their daily chores are closely connected to each and others of the works. He plunges deep into the nature and rural people as he scrutinises their inner sights.
Over the last five decades, Hamiduzzaman has been constantly trying to give a new language and fresh shape to his works. When we closely observe Hamiduzzaman's paintings, we can easily recognise his affinity for various unfamiliar and familiar forms. He likes to play with nature, form and structure orientations. He always tries to ensure an intense combination between colours and forms.
In this exhibition, Hamiduzzaman's semi-abstraction of landscape, and the transparency of the watercolour technique, enhances his use of the background as romantic view. His space is hierarchical in that the most important forms take precedence by position rather than by perspective, resulting in abstract relationships. Sensual colours and remarkable theme has given a different look to his paintings.
In this exhibition, Hamiduzzaman has done a number of faces. Some faces seem to be primitive, tribal, and unfamiliar. The faces are not identical and each face expresses a unique explanation and look. The face is the most significant part of the human body and it can express the language of the mind vividly. The facial expressions are superb and impressive. His composition is styled with geometric shapes and lines. In creating so many faces in different perspectives, Hamiduzzaman has again demonstrated his unrivalled creativity.
From the commencing of his artistic career, Hamiduzzaman has been able to create a new language for especially watercolour where colours have been presented in a very subdued way. Varieties of tones and the dramatic space also have been generated intentionally and occasionally unintentionally signifying how Hamiduzzaman has internalised the inner essence of nature in many of his works. What is also noteworthy is how he manages the synchronisation that requires a deep capacity to feel and respond to the beauty of nature in his works.
He produces plein air watercolour technique (betrothed mainly in demonstrating effects of outdoor light and atmosphere) and focuses his attention on impressive phenomena such as soft light and a kind of pretty haziness. Merriment of hues and lines has created a novel emotional and psychological depth in his acrylic based paintings. His works are characteristic for aesthetic balance and the paintings seem to be a flowing stream. He has tried to capture the enigmas of nature and its different phases.
One need hardly say that Hamiduzzaman Khan is one of the pre-eminent modern sculptors in our country and naturally already holds a distinguished position in our sub-continent. He is an earnest sculptor who has carved a path distinctly his own in our art arena with significant forms, themes and variations of work. He tries to focus on diverse forms and shapes, with the particular message that we are an inseparable part of nature, and nature always comes up with a way to survive.
Most of his sculptures are either stylised figurative (both male and female shapes) or abstract forms, in painted steel, marble stone, concrete cement, bronze and other metals. Many of his works are based on bronze, where he has focused on seated figures, human figures in motion, pure forms, animal, bird forms and geometric compositions. The work reflects the artist's inner feelings, his memories and thoughts. They bring together his dynamism in sculpture in a way unlike any other medium he uses.
From the commencement of his career, Hamiduzzaman's prime concerns have been form and composition. His composition is styled with geometric shapes and lines. His works delve deep into botanical motifs like seeds, roots, foliages and human visages (symbolically) as well as numerous indigenous forms. The sculptor is fascinated by nature and its varied puzzling phases, mainly because he is a nature lover.
Though Hamiduzzaman is an urban artist who mostly resides in Dhaka, he likes to spend his time away from the city's chaos. He frequently visits rural areas, and that is why his work (particularly watercolour) has highlighted greenery, rural panorama, cloudy sky, deep forest and hills. At times, shadow and blurred forms appear in his watercolours. Solitude and serenity are two vital components in his works. The subjects of his works are in a sombre mood and their characteristics are highlighted. Lighting is a prominent feature in the works and the artist generally prefers glowing light and mystifying setting.
His paintings (acrylic on canvas) highlight thick colours and rough textures. It should be mentioned that the artist has been greatly influenced by abstract expressionism (particularly paintings) where unintentional, sturdy brushstrokes characterise the works. Sometimes, he has deliberately created profound texture according to the paintings' requirements.
The writer is an art critic
and cultural curator
