MA
Katerina Don
Bengal Art Lounge
The idea was born out of necessity. There are many ways to pay homage to International Women’s Day – an exhibition of portraiture/female artiszts/representations of women by men/the nude and the list goes on. But, the most classic, and universal depiction of the female form is the Mother.
Throughout history, artists have depicted Mothers in various ways, from the Ankh symbol of Ancient Egypt to Dorothea Lang’s Migrant Mother. The first figurative representations of the human form were of fertility idols, now referred to as the Venuses (these set of statuettes found in different locations include the Venus of Willendorf dated at 28,000 / 25,000 BCE and Venus of HohleFels which is estimated to be more than 35,000 years old). The Mother holds a central place in the history of religious art, where her figure is sanctified and iconized. In the Christian tradition the Mother is a symbol of creation and harmony. In Hinduism, the Mother is a creative force but is also associated with destruction and justice.
The Modernist movement introduced a new interpretation of Motherhood and a more realistic image began to appear of a woman, with pains, flaws and weaknesses. The image was brought down to earth, deconstructed, and reinterpreted.
The Bengal Art Lounge show comprised of works by artists from different generations and backgrounds. The renowned painter and printmaker Monirul Islam, who in recent years has been working on intricate, multi-layered abstract works, presented a series of paintings laden with symbols of growth and creation. Painter and cartoonist Rafiqun Nabi, who is known for his Family series, showcased a morose Mother and Child in the urban setting which is reminiscent of the Piet.
Abstract painter and portraitist Kalidas Karmakar’s abstract works hint at the mystery of creation. Graphics artist and painter Rokeya Sultana created a new body of work exploring femininity and conception. Young hyperrealist painter Bishwajit Goswami, presented a series of mixed media works which probe at the social conception and universality of Motherhood. The line drawings of conceptual artist Yasmin Nahar Nupur are presented alongside the embroidery outlines of her mother and doodles of her young daughter. Ceramist Ashim Halder Sagor’s works explore how the artistic process is in essence similar to Motherhood. Creative director and artist Khaled Mahmud presented an installation about the enigma of the Mother. The very last work to be added to the exhibition was that of Jon Den Hartigh, who worked with rickshaw artist Vikram to create a series of stylized-reproductions of classic Western paintings.
In his interview for the exhibition, Rafiqun Nabi said ‘The Mothers of Bangladesh are very sad’ and the words ring true on every street you see the frail labor women working away to survive. But in the works presented in MA we found many different aspects of motherhood: harmony, sensuality, intimacy, transformation, fear, and tenderness. It is a diverse and insightful exhibition.

Date: 09/03/2014 – 30/03/2014
Exhibition regular hours: Everyday 12 – 8 PM
Entry condition: Open to public.