As part of the continuous process, Flame Arts---an art promotional organisation have arranged a group exhibition where five Nepalese artists with twelve Bangladeshi talented artists have taken part with their contemporary works, demonstrating different types of media, techniques, genre of art and varied viewpoints about socio-political and social structure of the sub-continent. The exhibition stands out for featuring the artists' experiments with new forms, materials, techniques and motifs. The themes feature contemporary life, time and reflection of moment as well as the socio-political and economic issues in Bangladesh and Nepal. The artists have engaged themselves with portraying the turmoil that is a part of the social and political milieu of the sub-continent. The images are semi-realistic, abstract, abstract-expressionistic and neo-expressionistic. At the exhibition, sometimes the colours appear vibrant, and at times subdued. Most images have a sensible and pleasing look. There is also the gentle decorous effect of elegant lines, forms and shapes. The painters' insight and their passion to create something novel and refreshing are also detectable in the works. Ecstasy, anguish and longing, pain and freedom have been articulated many of their works. The group exhibition has provided the participating painters with an opportunity to exchange views and artistic ideas, and celebrates diverse styles, themes, techniques and personal experiences.
Look upon the work of Nepalese painters----
Ajaya Deshar's bold strokes and vibrant colours give varied dimension to his works. He assembles many things and there is a different kind of simplicity, romanticism and reality in his works. Lighting is a prominent feature in his paintings and the artist generally prefers incandescent light and mystifying settings.
Kishor Nakarmi has tried to depict Buddha's contemplative and spiritual image. His Buddha is meditating but varied amorphous and scattered forms have been seen at the backdrop of the painting, demonstrating the worsening situation of Nepalese state. At times, his forms are depicted in a surrealistic touch, creating an unconventional and unusual look.
Bipana Maharjan's image is soulful and evocative. A red-coloured Buddhist temple is the focal point of the work and the use of matured and lucidity colours create a superb reflection in the work. She is interested in the interplay of light and shadow. Blue and red has been superbly merged.
Jyoti Prakash is considered to be an abstract expressionist. His painting could be narrated both a story of cosmic world and the universe where we live with an unbalanced situation. Red is very prominent at his painting where many vague forms have been encircled with several straight crisscrossed lines in the large centre.
Seetu Maskey paints the tiny cottages on the greenery hillock. Darkness is prominent at the work but the yellow hue adds a translucent light where reminiscence and longing for affection are very much connected to the human life.
Look intently at the work of Bangladeshi painters----
Rashed Kamal Russell, founder and coordinator of Flame Arts has taken the initiative to assemble the artists of two countries---Bangladesh and Nepal. He emerged as a painter in the '90s -- experimenting with innovative themes and techniques. Some of these techniques successfully infused a new look in his works and thus embarked on a novel journey. Russell, considered one of our talented watercolourist, has a passion for portraying alluring nature, private life, riverine life and panoramic view of rural Bangla.
Arifur Rahman Topu's has a passion for meticulously portraying riverine life and rural ambiance with vivacious shades. The medium's (Oil) thickness offers him a liberty to give his imagination a free rein. His works are principally means for him to visualise the natural world in which he finds himself. He has the yearning and capability to transform his visual insight of the world into an imposing composition. His oils are splendid in terms of his meticulous use of brushstrokes. He possesses adequate insistence and potential necessary for transforming visual insight of the world into a mind-boggling approach.
Abdus Sattar Toufiq set out as a landscape painter but eventually moved to surrealism. He frequently uses local motifs or elements in his paintings but his style and approach are very close to surrealism. He often uses the human forms, flora, foliage and amorphous forms. Varied abstract images also come to his works. He presents surrealistic figures, with different parts of human body, demonstrating a whimsical imagery.
Urmila Sukla superbly exposes fallen leaves on cloth-remembering something from the past. As an experimental painter, Sukla concentrates on the use of simple materials and uneven textures. For their unique application on the work, the hues come across as murky and the forms at times seem well-organised.
Rania Alam enrolled himself from the Department of Printmaking, Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka. Her print depicts many scribble and hazy forms. She is a workaholic and takes plenty of times to produce her creation. A cycle has been placed with a joyful woman in a centre of the print.
Shibananada Adhikary Biplob has a great tendency to paint nature, six seasons. Some of his acrylic based paintings also plunge deep into political and social disorder but he paints the issue symbolically. Some of his works brought in childhood dreams and memories. Most of his works are occupied in vivid hues and fragmental forms. By using large canvases, he can enjoy a freedom that enables him to unlock his imagination. His brush strokes create a rough surface on the canvas, quite like ploughing the land with his forms.
SM Ehsan's etching and acquaint depict the relationship between human and nature, which are very much depended to each and other. He has etched the pain and agony of human life through long visage where twisted forms also make a dramatic impact.
Sanjib Kanti Das's works can be considered as abstract expressionism where a skeleton figure depicts the harsh reality of the society. Mingling uneven texture with bright hue makes his painting more vibrant and also gives a cerebral look.
Mehedi Hasan's tripartite piece inspired by pop art is a colourful treat to modern life. The images seem to mock the trend of putting "Commercial Brands" on people's personal look, as a severed but seemingly ostentations hand reaches out to "commercially prestigious products."
Vadreshu Rita's work gives us an image of womb of a woman with a surrealistic touch. It also shows some women swimming circularly in the inner part of the body. Many encircled lines have been emerged in the work and the artist likes to work in subdued tone, which provides a philosophical appearance to the work. The work is considered to be semi-realistic and the artwork also revolves a story around the society.
Tahsina Najnin Shuchi engages herself with brick and cement. She feels sculpture drapes a dynamic core or holds a breathing space captive. She contemplates on unplanned urbanization, chaos and complexity in the city.
From the paintings of Mohammad Arifuzzaman we get his keen observation on contemporary society where we immersed in virtual world. Merging crimson, emerald green and cobalt blue, he also ponders solid form, blurred composition and sweep brush strokes.
Through the exhibits of a number of major contemporary painters, one can easily comprehend the current trends of Bangladeshi art and Nepalese art. The painters have used varied styles and approaches. It is true that the painters have a great fascination with semi-abstraction, abstraction, abstract-expressionism, pop art and realism. However, it is also apparent that a number of painters have tried to depict a perspective of social, political and cultural inequity, political fluctuation and other contemporary issues.
The exhibition was inaugurated on February 15 and will continue till February 18 at Zainul Gallery, Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka.
