In response to creative impulse, Mizanur Rahim (b. 1946) traverses smoothly in the domain of monochromatic treatment of pictorial language. On the one hand he has adeptly frozen the dynamics of Hailstorm and has concurrently created patches of jerky movement and shock, which are assimilated in a rather eye-catching harmony.

Biren Shome (b. 1948), Rejaul Karim (b. 1946) and Monjurul Hai (b. 1944) have celebrated the cohesion of human forms and nature as being inseparable. In this context, Biren has let loose nature on his canvas despite hinging heavily on cubism. One would find the fundamentals of design in the works of Mahbubul Amin (b. 1948) where illustration is born of unison among purity of drawing and conspicuous presence of basic colors.

In a deeper sense, even today when we are virtually cut-off from nature, the diverse tropical environment, the vast rice fields and activities of agrarian life, drives artistic impulse. A nostalgia for the simplicity of rural life, a life often looked upon as being the most joyous and a resort safe from the pseudo-sophistication of urban concerns, naturally prompts the artist to let the heart rule over the head. Motifs of plants and human beings have been treated by Monsurul Karim (b.1950) with such dexterity as would create a reservoir of signs and symbols that announce the special attachment of the artist with his subjects.

An attentive look at Kazi Ghiyasuddin’s (b.1951) work will reveal a process of germination, budding and blooming of herbs and flowers. In order to emphasize this, the artist has looked at his objects as if through a microscope, in great detail, such as would normally elude vision. Ghias has exploited the liquidity of color, especially white, to convey the message that nature is primarily fresh and flawless. And finally, it becomes evident that the exuberance of nature touches an intimate chord of this nature lover.

In the initial stages of modern movement, that is, in the early fifties the artists of the country developed an inclination towards realism while they imbibed in representational doctrine. Their realistic works hinted at abstraction. But today, experimental and new work by artists is inevitably dominated by abstraction. This dominance perhaps, helps the artist in his quest towards revelation of the underlying complexities of human existence, life and nature.

Moinuddin Khaled
September 2000