The painter's solo show in pipeline at Gallery Chitrak
Sultan Ishtiaque is one of the gifted realist artist and his artworks carry a profound study into Old Dhaka and the adjacent ambiance of dockyards. The massiveness of dockyards and its vibes of light and shadow ponder him to focus on the subject. The labourious and diverse activities in dockyards have been deeply imprinted in his mind. Dockyards employ great number of skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled labours in an unhygienic environment. The life is very harsh and unpleasant there and the toiler's daily chores, ecstasies, anguishes and dreams can also be discerned some of his works. He prefers to paint the people he knows. Therefore his neighboring subject is his first, and favourite field of investigation. He never finds it a problem to be- treated as a storyteller of a humanistic tradition, classical in his painting approach, as long as it shows the compassion and the emotions he experiences when painting his subjects.
Sultan elaborately portrays the ship building process, drudgers engrossed with works, upside down ships and cargos under repair, scrap metals of ships scattered on the ground and plying ships on docks. He also portrays small and big boats in all their possible varieties as well as repairing and maintenance activities around the banks of the rivers.
Sultan also closely scrutinises the metropolis' unplanned urbanisation, ruined richness of heritage, changing socio-political and economic conditions. For deeper inspiration and bringing variation in his thematic works, the artist has passionately visited different parts of Old Dhaka and other parts of the country.
Sultan fervently paints Old Dhaka with its vibrant activities, downtrodden people and their daily chores, rickshaw pullers, narrow alleys, condensed habitations, wrecked buildings, cluttered wires scattered across roads, jam-packed atmosphere, etc. He does not draw any single figure; he depicts people in masses in different approaches and aided by sufferings, torments, bliss and ecstasies. He felt compelled to draw on these subjects when he enrolled into the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka.
Sultan's works also plunge deep into the varied panoramic locations of the country----its semi-urban setting, river erosions, boat riding, riverine beauty and more. He visited the spots first and then went off to draw the surroundings. He does not believe in replicating photographs. As a result, he feels the surroundings in their true essence from the core of his heart, which has further motivated him to immerse himself with its ambiance.
Most of his works have a great tendency towards study based simultaneously with experimentation of various themes and objects. Besides works produced by water and pencil, Sultan has also contributed several oil paintings for the exhibition. He is comfortable in oil medium as it gives him an opportunity to enjoy its liberty and suppleness. He spends enough time whenever he is to complete a piece of oil painting. Observing his works thoroughly, one can easily feel the apparently lucid tonalities running smooth before the eye. He tries to express his feelings through simple realistic articulation, though shades differ from time to time in his works. The exhibition discloses life's elation, thrill, vibration, depression, peace and other poetic aspects of urban life.
Sultan has a passion in meticulous curation of rural and semi-urban issues with vibrant shades. His watercolours are revitalising and offer the viewers with a sense of bliss. His depictions are jovial and have the right kind of resilience, that is to say, he knows where to bring things to an end. In his short career, he has developed a style in watercolour medium. The medium's lucidity gives him a freedom to express his creativity properly. His watercolours have been done by swift brushstrokes. He possesses sufficient perseverance and potentials necessary for transforming visual insight of the world into a heart-rending approach. He draws pleasure from painting which moves his creative soul and enables him to translate language, colour and composition. In the process, the viewer gets to know the artist's individuality and mental state at the time of painting.
Sultan's creative process is spontaneous, touching, meticulous and detailed. His mode of expression is realistic. The painter can both thicken and minimise his colours while applying varied layers of hues. Most of his paintings bring forth a touching quality. Lighting is a prominent feature in the paintings and the artist generally prefers luminous light. His figures look both immobile and lively where expressions of subjects are quite noticeable. His themes and approaches explore the physical and often illusive emotional realms closely.
