Chronicle of Rokeya Sultana, an artistic polymath

Rokeya Sultana, an artistic polymath, is a multi-media artist, who is popularly known for her two figural series: The Madonna series and Relations. Several of her other art works such as those in the Earth Water Air series, are abstract interpretations of the Bangladeshi landscape and natural world.
Rokeya's artworks are basically united by two consistent characteristics: a focus on women's experiences and the artist's commitment to colour.
"I always use local product and I think of myself a brand," she proudly announced.
In a career, spanning nearly three decades, Rokeya Sultana has produced hundreds of paintings, prints and drawings, most of which are considered as landmark work.
"I love nature, nature protects us and nature is like a mother," she briefed about her work-style in one sentence.
After receiving her BFA in printmaking from the Institute of Fine Arts, Dhaka University and an MFA in printmaking from Viswa Bharati University, Shantiniketan, India; Rokeya began her career back in Bangladesh.
Rokeya is also the recipient of numerous national and international scholarships and awards, including a prestigious full bright grant which supported her nine month artist's residency at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
She is currently a Professor of Printmaker at Dhaka University.
Recently, she has been invited for visiting fellow Professor of Graphics Department of Viswa Bharati University, Shantiniketan, India. During her stay, her works will be shown at Kala Bhaban of Nandan Gallery, Viswa Bharati University, Shantiniketan, India from November 21 to November 28.
"Through research, I expanded my knowledge of alternative printmaking processes that are non-toxic, accessible, and low-tech. I also found new ways to include the outside world through found materials and pre-made contemporary artifacts with a recycling approach," said Rokeya.
Rokeya's Madonna-mother frankly expressed the joys as well as the frustrations of the majority of the world's mothers.
"I prefer to do my art in series. My previous body of work focused on relations between the human figure, materials, objects, forms, colours, and tools; and I am always influenced by nature. This new body of work is an extended study of these relations. These series are like my journals, as I feel they capture the various phases of my lifelong artistic journey. They are like chapters in a story," she said.
Painted between 2012 and 2015, some of the most recent works from the Earth Water Air series are unusual in Rokeya's oeuvre, even within the series, while the Relations and the majority of works from Earth Water Air series were marked by a quiet tranquility, many of the paintings from the series describe nature's sublime cacophony. Rokeya also captured the tumultuous, agitated waters of a Bengali river and its muddy banks during a storm.
"My artwork is my attempt to mark my identity and purpose among the infinite web of the known and unknown. In many senses, my art is a virtual tour of my mind," she added.
"The quest for truth will last as long as mankind," she believes.
She is one of the artists who got the grand prize at Bharat Bhaban International Print Biennial in India. She has recently got a residence and quarter show at Australia UNSW Sydney.
"I always try to go on tours with the graduating female students because I think it will inspire them to do something through this light," she said.
"I found most of the female artists put an end to their career once they finish their study or get married. That's why I keep them with me when I visit for the exhibitions. I do this only to inspire them to pursue a better career," she complemented.
This year she took five female graduating students along with her at the invitation of Vast Bhutan. With the help of Ambassador of Bhutan to Bangladesh Pema Choden, our Cultural Minister Asaduzzaman Nur and Bangladeshi Ambassador to Bhutan Jishnu Roy Choudhury, they showcased their arts on March 26 in Vast Bhutan on the occasion of Independence Day since Bhutan was among the first who recognized Bangladesh as an independent country after the partition from Pakistan.