The New Nation - Internet Edition

'Return to the Roots’: Exhibition of 7 Indian Bengali artists

Sheikh Arif Bulbon

“The year 1947 survives in the memory of a section of Bengalis more for the glory events of partition than for the tryst with destiny that ended two hundred years of colonial rule in India. The three-piece sub-continent that emerged as the British left India made it impossible for the Bengalis to think any more of one Bengal comprising East and West bound by culture and language, history and heritage. But, despite the religious and political divide the two Bengals are siblings with blood ties bonding them together. Those who crossed the borders around 1947 from either side have still some bits of their roots stuck deep underground somewhere on the banks of the Padma and the Ganga. Among them are there today's artists and poets who left, rather were forced to leave, their home before of after partition but only on the other side of the same country which was still intact as a cultural and geographical entity. Quite a few high-profile contemporary artists of Kolkata, who tower tall on the Indian art scene as well as now total strangers to what was once their birthplace or hometown in the erstwhile East Bengal. But thanks to the undying ties of culture between two Bengals, their past is no foreign country. The seven artists of the two countries have shared-in cultural genetics as the mainstay of their creative impulse," said Indian art critic Manasij Majumder at the exhibition of seven Bengali artists from India titled 'Return to the Roots' at the Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts in the capital.

"As an art-writer and art watcher for more than a quarter of a century, I have often had occasions to reflect on the life and works of the artists represented in this show. And it has often crossed my mind that art must have something to do with their having been born on the other side of Bengal. It is very difficult to trace any tangible evidence in their works of what is exclusive in their art which they owe to the native village or town, especially when Kolkata has played a dominant and decisive role to find and feed their talent, shape and succour their sensibility mostly in post independent India with the scars of partition still unhealed," said Manasij.

An eminent exception is Paritosh Sen, born in Dhaka in 1918, had his basic art education at Chennai, worked as a teacher in Indore, and finally went to Paris. As a member of the Kolkata Group, launched in 1943, he wanted to revitalize Indian art and relate it to the modernity of 20th century. However, he never lost sight of his native heritage as he voyaged though modern aesthetics. Paritosh has always had a strong liking for figurative contents, as he contemplates on men and women of all classes, and plays with their emotions of happiness and despair, love and hate.

Born in 1928 in Patuakhali, Barisal, Amitabha Banerjee grew up as a little child in Sandwip in Bangladesh, of which he carried indelible impressions. Later in Kolkata, he witnessed famine and riots, which were reflected in the pain and agony of the faces of women.

His Sandwip memories, however, sneaked back in his exotic aquatints and pastels, as he brought in flowers and birds in an idealised, lyrical manner.

Bijan Chowdhury, whose family originally came from Faridpur, grew up in Kalighat.

When his family had migrated there, he studied under Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin at the Institute of Dhaka in 1949. Bijan believed in a collective total rise of men through socialism and leftist politics, when he returned to Kolkata. He dreamt not only of political freedom but economical emancipation for all. These were reflected in the massive muscular proportions of his figures, with their allegorical backdrops. His sculpted figures have enormous inner strength and speak in praise of the success of the common man.

Ganesh Haloi, fled from his home in Jamalpur, in then Mymensingh, when he was nine, during the partition, and moved from one refugee camp to another. He lived on the platform of Howrah Station when he was a student of Government Art College. His pain and struggles, were not, however, reflected in his art, which carry the illustrative structure of nature seen in his childhood days of blue skies and flowing rivers of East Bengal. Nature leaves fluid imprints on his senses, as we study them today in the semi abstract forms.

Suhas Roy, born in 1936, in Tejgaon in Dhaka, settled with his widowed mother near Kolkatta. His visions were that of the Old Italian Renaissance Arts and French Classicists, which were his influences during his trip to Europe. He became a refugee during the Naxalite violence. He came into fame with his delineations of birds, trees and flowers. His glass paintings also speak of mystic ties with nature.

Dhiraj Choudhury also fled from his home in Brahmanbaria. He did his B.Sc at Darjeeling. He had a strong concern for man, nature and society. His articulated washes and fresh shades present lyrical landscapes.

Jogen Chowdhury, born in 1939, also came away from Faridpur, where his family had settled for generations. His artistic inclinations took their roots from his rural origin in East Bengal. He was full of fun and fantasy as he painted intriguing and erotic creatures.

These seven painters are the leading personalities in Indian art at present. The exhibition will end on May 9.

Alpana’s solo painting exhibition in Kolkata

Art & Culture Report

Bangladeshi artist Murshida Arzu Alpana's solo painting exhibition was held recently at the Gallery Chitrakoot in Kolkata in India.

Artist Jogen Chowdhury and art critic Pranab Roy inaugurated the exhibition. Several art critics, artists and art enthusiasts attended the event.

Another exhibition of Alpana's works was held at the Point of View Gallery in Mumbai in India.

Recently Alpana came to Bangladesh and again went to Germany where she has been living there.

Dhaka Music Conservatory

Art & Culture Report

Dhaka Music Conservatory (DMC) is a musical wing of the Centre for Asian Arts and Cultures (CAAC), established in the year 2001. In the beginning it offered lessons for piano, violin and cello. For many of us it may seem a bit ambitious to have a music conservatory in Bangladesh. There are a few realistic reasons for that. To run a conservatory we need teachers who have a. proper academic background with a specialised focus in their respective areas. We are glad to announce that all of our teachers meet this need. Swani Zubayeer, musician and Director of DMC, said, "Aim is to let our students feel that we are now living in a global village. Music is music, no matter where it comes from. We have to keep our minds open in order to accept music from any part of the world and make it our own. How is the moment a music conservatory is needed so desperately in our country? It will let our younger generation experience the enlightenment that music gives, and realise for themselves the divine impact it has on their lives. Music from east and west should come under the same roof and shake hands; leaving any prejudice behind. Bangladesh has been home to musicians who have become some of the greatest legends of all time. Most of our younger generations do not realize this. We wonder how many of our young people know that Ustad Alauddin Khan and Ustad Ayaat Ali Khan came from our soil."

Primarily we will have 11 faculty members, of which five will teach western classical and five will teach Indian classical music and one faculty member will teach our traditional folk music, said Swani.

Cozmo presents tribute to Tagore

Art & Culture Report

Barnali, Nilufer and Ishtiaque performed in unison with the contemporary instrumentals, the songs of Rabindranath Tagore that have always been close to our heart, at Cozmo Lounge in the city on May 8.

Prof Fakrul Alam recited his translated excerpts from Tagore. Srabanti also recited from 'Shanchayita' and 'Geetabitan.'

With the spirit of Baishakh 25, the birthday of the greatest poet of Bengal, everybody spent an evening with words and melodies eternally fresh and crisp.

Pushpita with 'Choto Choto Asha’

Art & Culture Report

Pushpita Mouri. She started to sing from the very beginning of her life. She was connected with singing by the family. Once upon a time, she used to learn songs from Master Phul Mohammad. Later, she learned form Khondokar Nurul Alam and now to Zakaria Masud.

The first album of her has come to market. The name of the album is 'Choto Choto Asha,' which published from Fahim Music.

There are 10 modern songs in the album. There are also some mixtures of western track. Kabir Bakul, Asif Iqbal, Shafiq Tuhin, Razib and Rabiul Islam have written the songs for her. The headlines of the songs are 'Choto Choto Asha,' 'O Majhi', 'Ratri Mane,' 'Dash Digonto' and others.

Pushpita is very much hopeful with her first album. She said, "I hope that the audiences will like the songs."

Bangladeshi photographer wins World Press Photo award

Art & Culture Report

Bangladeshi photographer Andrew Biraj won World Press Photo Joop Swart Masterclass Award recently. This was announced on April 28 in Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

Andrew Biraj is working in New Age as photojournalist at present. He is the lone photojournalist selected for the highly competitive award in Asia. Eleven other photographers from across the globe were awarded the prize for their outstanding photojournalistic body of work.

Every year the World Press Photo Foundation selects 12 young photographers below 30 years of age from around the world for the prize. Earlier, the Foundation had nominated a total of 132 photographers.

Biraj submitted two sets of photo stories. One of them was titled 'State Excluded' and dealt with the stranded Pakistanis, highlighting the daily struggle in the Bihari camps of Dhaka.

The other one was named 'Tragic Fibre' and depicted the miseries of the jute mill workers of Khulna.

The winners were selected by an independent, international selection committee consisting of the president of Cuban Aurora Photos José Azel, French art director of the National Geographic Magdalena Herrera, director of Dutch Foam Fotografiemuseum Marloes Krijnen, Danish photographer Erik Refner, Italian photographers Berlingske Tidende and Massimo Siragusa and photographer Agenzia Contrasto. The purpose of the Joop Swart Masterclass, which was introduced in 1994, is to further young and talented photographers' photojournalistic insight.

The other winners are Peter van Agtmael of the Netherlands/USA, Martina Bacigalupo and Massimo Berruti of Italy, Michael Christopher Brown of USA, Agnes Dherbeys of France, Iñaki Domingo of Spain, Philipp Ebeling of Germany, Clemence de Limburg of Belgium, David Magnusson of Sweden, Jehad Nga of Libya/USA and James Pomerantz of UK/USA They will gather in Amsterdam from November 8 to 13 to receive the awards and meet the fellow masters.