‘Bleak reality hidden in
a white shell’
Musfequr Rahman Chowdhury talks to the judges and winners of the competition that led to the Young Art Exhibition bringing together the budding artists of the post-independence era, who form a new language in art for a new reality
photo by Andrew Biraj
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‘Asian Art Biennale, National Art Exhibition and Young Art Exhibition are regular arrangements from the fine arts department of Shilpakala, and these three exhibitions bring all fine art fans of Bangladesh onto a single platform,’ says Bhuiyan Shafiqul Islam, director general of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA).
The sixteenth young artists’ art exhibition at the BSA ends today. 195 selected art works of 141 young artists were on display. Artists were between the ages of 22 to 35; basically those born after the war of liberation were competitors in this great art festival, an annual event arranged by the Shilpakala Academy for the last three decades.
‘The exhibition highlights how the post-independence generation of artists look at the life around them and how tumultuous the motherland is, very different from the poet Sukanta Bhattacharya’s experiences in colonial times,’ comments art critic Mofidul Hoque.
The target of that art festival is to discover budding geniuses throughout Bangladesh and reward their artworks in all sorts of different media such as drawing, sculpture, installation, handicraft, printmaking, ceramic work and mixed media.
‘This exhibition showcases new artists from all over Bangladesh, with works previously never displayed at any exhibition,’ says Mohammad Shahidullah, deputy director of the Department of Fine Arts, BSA. ‘After learning about the competition three months ago, they sent in colour photographs of their art works, attached with complete written descriptions and themes. A total of 1169 colour photographs and replicas of artworks from 473 young artists reached us.’
‘To pick out the works of high calibre for the exhibition we scrutinised their presentations and read the message attached. That took us two whole consecutive days, April 27 and 28,’ says Ranjit Das, member of the art selection committee. ‘Finally 195 artworks of 141 young artists were selected,’ Ranjit added. The other members of the art selection committee were Shishir Battachariya, Mohammad Eunus, Dhali Al Mamoon and Mohammad Enamul Huq.
‘After hearing of the primary selection I sent original two paintings to the Shilpakala Academy, organiser of that festival, on April 29,’ says artist Maksuda Iqbal Nipa.
On May 4, the jury board consisting of renowned artists Syed Jahangir, Abul Bark Alvi, Mansur-ul-Karim, Hamiduzzaman Khan and Abdus Shakoor announced the winning eight artists.
‘How much can an artist put his or her thought, emotion successfully at every layer of canvas or artwork was the focal point in making my decision,’ says Abdus Shakoor, member of the jury board.
‘Those artworks that were truly original, such as pieces built with separate canvases, successful use of uncommon materials artwork got the priority in the final selection,’ says Hamiduzzaman Khan, another member of jury board.
Among them MM Maizuddin achieved the splendid Young Artists’ Award 2008 for his brilliant work named ‘Cosmical & Materialistic elements of Human mind-2’; after him Sarkar Nahid Niazi, Shyamal Sarker and Sheikh Mohammad Rokonuzzaman received respectively best awards in painting, sculpture and graphics.
Beside the awardees four other artists achieve honourable mention — Maksuda Iqbal Nipa, Subrata Das, Bishwajit Goswami and Md Hasan Morshed.
‘To portray the inner appetite, greed, animalistic, omnivorous characteristics of our contemporary politicians is the main message of my sculpture named “Center Table” says Shyamal Sarkar, sculptor who won best award in sculpture.
‘My artworks “Surface-1” and “Surface-2” portray natural beauty, its texture and its numerous tiny nice looks,’ says Maksuda Iqbal Nipa, whose one artwork achieved the an honourable mention at the competition. ‘To increase one’s attention, inner love and affection to the nature is the intent of my two oil paintings.’
‘I depict the pitiable condition of our society, based on old ideas, thoughts, superstitions and structures,’ says Sarkar Nahid Niazi, whose woodwork named ‘Broken Door-2’ achieved the best award in painting.
‘I installed an oval shaped large white object, inside which some people carry on conspiracy,’ says Hasan Morshed whose artwork named ‘Jadu Ghaor fake behind the trust’ won an honourable mention. To depict the recent missing of two antiques under the supervision of the national museum is the message behind this work. ‘Through my artwork I question authority and why it happened,’ Morshed added.
‘I portrayed how a newspaper is still a major source of information for the seeker to quench one’s thirst of discovery,’ says Bishwajit Goswami, whose artwork ‘Quest for life-1’ achieve an honourable mention.
‘The young competitors have sensibly, duly portrayed contemporary corrupted politicians, social sluggishness, superstition, inner thinking, crisis in life, men and women, poverty,’ says Hamiduzzaman. ‘Also a good number of sculpture, handicraft and ceramic artworks portrayed contemporary societal issue,’ he added.
‘I got a certificate, a medal made of bronze and fifteen thousand taka,’ says Shyamal Sarker. But it took two entire months and fifty two thousand taka to complete his sculpture, ‘Centre table’. On query Bhuiyan Shafiqul Islam said that the annual budget of BSA is not enough to run and develop creative activities through out Bangladesh.
‘The national art gallery should display rare collection of renowned artists of Bangladesh through out the year,’ says professor Bulbul Osman at the exhibition. ‘That time it will be easier for the visitors to compare the traditional artworks with the contemporary trends of art, as well as can realize the development of art culture in our country,’ Osman added.
‘Our national art gallery is not spacious enough to display the traditional collections of art,’ says Shafiqul Islam. ‘Inside the BSA there are such rare paintings, priced above fifty thousand Taka; if we are able to display them that time those will get more exposure and also will be a source of income also,’ Shafiqul added. ‘The plan of adding six stories more on BSA buildings is under consideration, if it complete in that time the permanent display of traditional and rare artworks will be possible and a visitor will get an overall view of Bangladeshi arts in one visit,’ Shafiqul added.
‘Previously the impact of idols was dominant in our sculpture, this trend has changed and the impacts of contemporary issues are more portrayed on the sculpture,’ says Hamiduzzaman. ‘The installation section of sculpture is growing promising for the last two years in our country.’
‘As the festival is government-organised they avoid taking innovative steps to make the programme livelier and more participatory,’ says Shakoor. ‘In the management and in the advisory board of BSA the membership of senior artists must be introduced beside government official,’ Shakoor added. ‘Such nation-wide competitions and exhibition of artworks are definitely a great recognition and also encourages artists of this generation a lot.’
‘The all encompassing greed of the nouveau-riche, the treachery and betrayal of the powerful, the bleak reality hidden inside the cover of a white shell are hardening the young soul and as a result the works in the exhibition almost invariably depicts the harsh reality,’ says Hoque. ‘Young artists looking for a new art language appropriate to their time and reality which made the exhibition exciting and thought-provoking and it can be judged in various ways.’
Young Art Exhibition
May 18 — June 6
11am to 7pm
Shilpakala Academy,
Segun Bagicha
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