CATCHING THE GURU…ON BROMIDE
In pursuit of SM Sultan
by Anisur Rahman
Guru is a publication featuring a good number of rare images of SM Sultan (1923-1994), a legendary artist of Bangladesh and the photos have been snapped by Nasir Ali Mamun. It’s to be noted specially, that, his photographs carry a rare sense of aestheticism.
It’s well known that following the emergence of Bangladesh through the War of Liberation in 1971, many different fields opened with several new dimensions; and, the most notable are the sectors of economy, politics, art, culture, literature and theatre. From within the vast canvas of the arts we got Nasir Ali Mamun, a genius in photography. Born in July 1, 1953 in Dhaka, it was he who introduced portrait photography in Bangladesh in 1972.
His subjects are noted creative figures and celebrities of the world and his camera has captured many rare moments of rare humans in a spirit of discovery. In fact, he has progressed with the facial history of creative figures. Almost everyone is aware of the five books that he has written along with the 47 exhibitions that he has had. But, Nasir is exceptional in the sense – and this bit is unknown to many - that he had been in the company of SM Sultan, unarguably the eccentric artistic genius of the country.
Legendary talent Sultan had a unique style of living and, had a different approach to animals and birds. It is often said that he could understand their language. Mamun spent ten years in pursuit of this recluse artist and recorded in his frame his pathos and struggle.
Mamun remembers the line often uttered by the artist – ‘Sultan speaks for the people who toiled through the ages for the advancement of human civilisation.’ When Mamun started his assignment of documenting the painter’s life with his camera, he had no hope that his works would one day be on display as a tribute to the artist.’
These photographs reveal many hidden and obscure faces of Sultan’s life. The artist was a hermit in love with unadulterated nature; he cared for animals, birds and plants and, all the elements of Mother Nature have found place on his canvas.
Relevant to mention that, Mamun went to Sultan’s native village in Narail, in the south west of Bangladesh to take the snaps.
Commenting on Mamun’s approach to photography, Sultan wrote: ‘the maya of light and shadow keeps the mystery of life throbbing. A simple ray of life infuses an inspiration into our spirit. We don’t know where, from which unknown heaven, that ray comes. Our faces are but little reflections from the depths of that movement’s deeper being. This reflection is but a concentrated ray from the heart of darkness, a darkness that knows no bounds. Nasir Ali Mamun has simply proved his mastery in this congress, in this coupling of light and shadow. I thank him from the centre of my being.’
The book also records memoirs of the photographer with the artist. Mamun shares his times with the artist by the side of the Chitra River around 20 times. He also likes to remember Sultan as his Guru (teacher). From the book it becomes evident that, his time with the artist was one that was filled with astonishing realisations and earth shattering revelations.
Sultan used to live without electricity. It was dirty, unhygienic and even risky to live in with him. Mamun remembers seeing Sultan the first time in 1978 playing with a cobra. He even had some crows as regular guests. Mamun even saw ravens swaying to the artist’s rendition of the flute. Indeed, Sultan playing the flute, painting, smoking pot are all ingredients of this book that is a remarkable collection of photos as well as a peek into the mystique of an artist, which, lingers on so many after his death.
‘The continuation of a trend or a style does not make a real artist. There is always an option for an artist to create a style of his own and, Sultan’s paintings should be judged from that point of view,’ notes Ahmed Sofa. And, as for Mamun, well, he has been successful in discovering this essence of SM Sultan through his lens.
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Guru (A collection of photographs); by Nasir Ali Mamun; Cover Design: Nasir Ali Mamun; Translated from Bangla into English: Salimullah Khan; Published by Neer Limited and Sharanee; First Edition May 2005; Price: Tk 1000 or US $ 25
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