The New Nation - Internet Edition

Ecology of Mind-2: Alak Roy's sculpture exhibition

Sheikh Arif Bulbon

"In a career spanning nearly thirty years, Alak Roy has only four solo exhibitions, a fact that speaks of his reluctance to exhibit without extensively covering the artistic and philosophical grounds on which his work would stand and fully articulate his intended meaning. That meaning often has to do with the way we relate to each other, to time and history, and to nature. As a thinker artist, Alak's challenge lies in making eloquent our daily discourses with nature, which are increasingly becoming fragmented and discontinuous, as technological and industrial interventions degrade the environment, destroy the fine balance among the various life forms and threaten to turn the world into a wasteland," said eminent art critic Syed Manzoorul Islam about art works of sculptor Alak Roy.

A fifteen-day long sculpture exhibition of artist Alak Roy was inaugurated at Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts on January 5. Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC) Prof Nazrul Islam was present as chief guest, while architect Shamsul Wares, Subir Chowdhury, Director of the gallery, among others, were present on the occasion. There are 50 art works of Alak Roy took place in the exhibition. The exhibition was jointly organised by Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts and British Council, while AB Bank Ltd sponsored the exhibition.

From the first solo exhibition of Alak Roy in the early 80's, which was titled 'The Cry of Earth.' Alak has tried to take his art to the rich life that enervates the earth in search of enduring solutions to contemporary social and political problems. In his latest exhibition, Ecology of Mind, which is an extension of the 2007 solo exhibition in the DC Hill Park in Chittagong titled 'Steps to Ecology of Mind,' Alak explores the relationship between man and nature which, in our time, has turned antagonistic. The exhibition puts together some large sized sculpture, which both exploit potentials of the medium and adequately express his philosophical concerns.

If we look for the distinguishing marks of Alak Roy's sculptures, the list won't be too long, but each will certainly stand for its uniqueness. Alak's early terracotta work shows both his predilection for installation-like arrangements and his sharp eye for details. His site specific sculptures reveal an intimate understanding of what the Chinese call 'Feng Shui' or the spirit of the place and instead of working solely on the outside of a sculpted object, he often starts with its interior spaces, slowly reaching outwards. His necessarily invites the viewer's gaze both to the exterior and interior of an art object. Thus eliminating restrictions of mass, volume and dimensionality.

About Alak's works Syed Manzoorul Islam said, "Alak's first exhibition involved some finely done terracotta works, which had a feel of the earth - its rawness, its strength as well as its softness, which the viewers were invited to celebrate. The second exhibition concentrated on a stylistic variation. Alak burnt his pieces black to show their power to change, mutate and assume a richer and stronger existence. Gradually he extended the dimensions of his work, until they became much larger than life. His intention was now epical, as he began to see nature as a force that can come to our rescue and make our lives meaningful."

Alak said, "At present in my works, the world is seen to possess eyes and ears, which is an anthropomorphic projection of sorts. But a muted spirituality also accommodates there. The world, which for translates as nature, also has an inner eye with which it can clearly see the shape of things to come. If the spread of technology-driven, engineering based urban civilisation confines nature only to reserved forests and national parks, lying waste all its other vestiges, then humanity will have to pay a huge price. I, however, believe in the power of nature to protect itself. It is after all a living entity and has been there longer than the Homo sapiens."

'Ecology of Mind' takes his thoughts about nature a step forward. Here he not only highlights the fractured state of our existence which can heal once we restore our connection with nature, but also makes us think of our role in the entire process of alienation that is taking us away from our roots.

Alak asks his viewers to interiorise the whole spectacle of nature's endowing man's life with gifts of sights and sounds. He himself feels the beauty and bounty of nature and the balance that holds together the elemental nexus inside his head. The exhibition tells us in so many words that nature has given us a wonderful legacy, which we must protect with all the strength we are capable of. The exhibition will end on January 19.

Falguni Hamid is back after eight years

Fakguni Hamid has come back to acting again through the drama serial 'Kontok Binash' written by Aftab Bin Tomiz and directed by Kaiser Ahmed.

Falguni Hamid said, 'Actually I did not leave this arena. I was busy with direction. I agreed to act in this drama due to Kaiser's request. On the other hand, this drama serial's plot is also very good. My audience saw me playing the polite characters before but this time they will find me acting in a bit different character.' She also added that she is not going to be regular in acting but if she gets any different story, she will act.

Falguni Hamid's last acted drama was telecast eight years back on BTV.

-Culture Desk

'Mona Lisa identified’, German experts say

German academics believe they have solved the centuries-old mystery behind the identity of the Mona Lisa in Leonardo da Vinci's famous portrait.

Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a wealthy Florentine merchant, Francesco del Giocondo, has long been seen as the most likely model for the 16th-century painting.

Art historians, however, have often wondered whether the smiling woman might actually have been da Vinci's lover, his mother or the artist himself.

Now experts at the Heidelberg University library say dated notes scribbled in the margins of a book by its owner in October, 1503, confirm once and for all that Lisa del Giocondo was indeed the model for one of the most famous portraits in the world.

"All doubts about the identity of the Mona Lisa have been eliminated by a discovery by Dr. Armin Schlechter," a manuscript expert, the library said in a statement on Monday.

Until then, the library said, only "scant evidence" from 16th-century documents had been available. "This left lots of room for interpretation and there were many different identities put forward." The notes were made by Florentine city official Agostino Vespucci, an acquaintance of the artist, in a collection of letters by the Roman orator Cicero.

The comments compare Leonardo to the ancient Greek artist Apelles and say he was working on three paintings at the time, one of them a portrait of Lisa del Giocondo.

Art experts, who have already dated the painting to this time, say the Heidelberg discovery is a breakthrough and the earliest mention linking the merchant's wife to the portrait.

"There is no reason for any lingering doubts that this is another woman," Leipzig University art historian Frank Zoellner told German radio. "One could even say that books written about all this in the past few years were unnecessary, had we known."

The woman was first linked to the painting about 1550 by Italian official Giorgio Vasari, the library said, but it added that there had been doubts about Vasari's reliability - he made the comments five decades after the portrait had been painted.

The Heidelberg notes were actually discovered over two years ago in the library by Dr. Schlechter, a spokeswoman said.

Although the findings had been printed in the library's public catalogue, they had not been publicized and had been received little attention until a German broadcaster decided to do some recording at the library, she said.

Greek writer finds sketchbook believed to be by Vincent van Gogh

Greek writer Doreta Peppa found a sketchbook that is believed to belong to Vincent van Gogh. The sketchbook has portraits similar to thos found in Greece. Doreta Peppa is the daughter of a Greek resistance fighter. Doreta Peppa commissioned an art expert who found the sketched were made by Vincent van Gogh. Now Doreta Peppa seeks to establish the authenticity of the works with the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.

"Who would not be moved by such a discovery? This is van Gogh's soul," Peppa stated. "He intended this sketchbook as a gift and there is no other like it in the world."

-Culture Desk

Indian Idol stars performed at Dhaka

Indian Idol star Proshant Tamang and Amit Paul arrived at Dhaka on 16 January to perform in concerts. The event organizer Antor Show Biz's stuffs and their fans received them with warm welcome. The starts performed last evening at Hotel Regency. Some other star singers of Bangladesh named Hasan, Shuvo and band group Neeloy also performed in this event. The starts are going to perform at Fantasy Kingdom today. Biplob, Tishma, Shuvo, Mila and Deshi MCS are also going to perform in this event. The program is sponsored by Pepsi.

-Culture Desk