The New Nation - Internet Edition

Sheikh Arif Bulbon

"Abdul Muqtadir's paintings are radiant and sublime. Meditative in spirit, the paintings offer an inner view of the artist's world. There is clear resonance of a state of mind that is immersed in a deep quest for peace, for quietude, and love. Being 70 years old, Muqtadir's art has often looked to birds, more as symbols of a suspended peace than of flight. Then there is the luxuriously reclining cat, the innocence of the soaring kite and lots of light… rays that radiate forth and explode into illuminated spheres," said art critic Moinuddin Khaled about art works of veteran artist Abdul Muqtadir at his solo exhibition titled 'Percenption' at Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts in the capital.

Muqtadir said, "My theme is perception. I observe certain events, which are significant to me. It is an energy, which inspires me. Perception leads to conviction. The delicate mesh of the background holds his objects, whether they are birds or cats or the smiling face of a child. One feels the figures are seen in a lonely afternoon, with the coming of nightfall with a wan moon."

"When I translate the energy though colour there are nuances which I bring on the canvas or paper." In one of the scenes one sees a resting woman under a tree. "It is what it is and no more," he said.

The smiling face of a young girl is an oft-appearing theme in his paintings. The image is awash in a splurge of light, sometimes emanating from the brilliance of flowers strewn around. The inner glow and warmth inherent in his artworks brings to mind Jibananada's subtle verses about nature.

Muqtadir's finely meshed background creates a delicate web in which objects are held together. His special skill in deploying lines and points that flow in an around objects bespeaks a definite characteristics of his works. The lighted aura and the worked over background enlivens the artwork, freeing it from the shackles of a specific time and a specific query.

In one of the paintings is a cock, which brought in the bird flu scare in the country. All around the bird were figures done in minute scrawled.

In the painting on 'Krishnachura' he brought in the colours and motives he saw in a scene.

In another is a fountain falling through a green hill. What attracts him was the relation between the elements of nature.

In four more pieces of paper Muqtadir has done four varieties of birds with pen squiggles and washes of watercolour.

He works straight away and does not depend on sketches. As if he painted when his mood took him he said, "Moods depend on emotions. I go by something that inspires me, anything that I hear or remember. I respond to inspiration and do what satisfies my inner need to express myself."

The space in his paintings has a hypnotic pull- a kind of magnetism that is timeless and un-eroded. It is easily reminiscent of the kind of awe that skills the human mind at the advent of dawn, in the solitude of a lonely afternoon, in the foreshadowing of nightfall or in the wan light of a full moon.

Born in 1936 he graduated from the Graphic Design from the College of Arts and Crafts in 1960, with Zainul Abedin, Quamrul Hassan and Safiuddin Ahmed as his teachers. Asked to comment on the standard of teaching in his time and now. "One learns by oneself. Nothing can be thrust on the student. The teacher gives examples and discusses, it is up to the pupil to pick up," he said.

He pursued promotion and development of traditional crafts during 14 years of his career with Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries. He left the job later to join Bitopi, where he worked for three decades. Even after his formal retirement from communications media he is still connected with it.

"When my friends insist that I do some illustrations, I work for them," said Muqtadir.

The exhibition concluded on March 17.