The New Nation - Internet Edition

Sheikh Arif Bulbon

“One can see great diversity in the works of young artists, at the same one can also feel that collectively it depicts the artistic outlook of young generation of painters, a mosaic made of many different colours and hues. When one walks through the exhibition, evaluating the works, appreciating the prize-wining ones, one can also get a feel of the overall message of the show. Firstly, the exhibition highlights how our post-independence generation of artists look at the life around them. The artists were born between 1973 and 1985 and the birth witnessed the 'tumultuous motherland,' the 'strange world' all around that has baffled them, but this reality was very different from what young poet Sukanta Bhattacharya has seen in the colonial period. The difficult time hardened the young soul, barring little scope to reflect the tender side of life; as a result the works in the exhibition almost invariably depicts the harsh reality," said eminent art critic Mofidul Hoque at the 16th Young Artist's Art Exhibition held at the Jatiyo Chitrashala of Shilpakala Academy in the city.

The 20-day long exhibition was inaugurated on May 18. Department of Fine Arts of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy has been organising exhibitions featuring talented young artists' work biennially since 1975.

Some 195 art works by 141 young artists in different mediums - painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, graphics, and installation - are on display.

Eight artists in three categories - painting, sculpture and graphics - received awards.

MM Maizuddin was the winner of the prestigious "Young Artists' Award '08." Sarkar Nahid Niazi, Shyamal Sarkar and Sheikh Mohammad Rokonuzzaman won the Best Awards in Painting, Sculpture and Graphics respectively. Four young artists - Subrata Das, Maksuda Iqbal Nipa, Bishwajit Goswami and Md Hasan Morshed - received 'Honourable Mention' at the competition.

Eminent artists and art critics - Abul Barq Alvi, Mansur-ul-Karim, Hamiduzzaman Khan, Abdus Shakoor Shah and Syed Jahangir - were the members of the jury. Renowned artists - Ranjit Das, Mohammad Eunus, Dhali Al Mamoon,

Mohammad

Enamul Huq and Shishir Bhattacharya - were the members of the 'Art Selection Committee.'

In his welcome speech at the inauguration ceremony, Director of the Department of Fine Arts of Shilpakala Academy M Mizanur Rahman said, "In response to our invitation, 473 artists from different corners of the country turned in 1,169 art works for the primary selection. Of them, 195 artworks by 141 artists were selected for the exhibition." "Because of political turmoil the scheduled 16th Young Artists' Art Exhibition could not be held in 2006. In future, we hope to organise the exhibition regularly," he also said.

Artist Mustafa Monwar said, "The initiative taken by Shilpakala Academy to encourage the young artists has become popular."

"The artists have dealt with diverse themes in some innovative mediums, however, most of the artworks don't represent our culture and our nature," said Mustafa Monwar.

M Sharful Alam, Secretary to the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, said, "The exhibition and competition will help mould talented artists. It will give them exposure at the national and international level."

Bhuiyan Shafiqul Islam, Director General of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, said, "The young artists will enrich our art and society by dealing with humanist issues."

"Asian Art Biennale, National Art Exhibition and Young Art Exhibition are the regular arrangement of the Fine Arts Department of the Academy. These three exhibitions bring all the fine art fans of Bangladesh in a single platform. As a result the fine art of Bangladesh has secured a significant position in the Asian region," said Director General of the Academy.

About the show, art critic Mofidul Hoque said, "The works by the young artists provide us the opportunity to see the world through their eyes and we can feel the rejection of hollow life by them. This rejection is not negation of life but testament of life."

One of the awardees, Shyamal Sarker, an MFA student at the Fine Arts Institute of Dhaka University, said, "It is exciting to get the award. Through the sculpture entitled Centre table, I want to reflect the political failures and hypocrisy over country's interest and common people's liberty."

Another winner, Maksuda Iqbal Nipa, who has completed her masters in oil painting from IT University of Education, Japan in 2004, got several awards including Media Best Award from the Fine Art Institute of Dhaka University, International Friendship Award 2002 in Japan.

She said, "I am very much delighted getting the award. Through my work Surface-1 at the show, I want to present the beauties as well as colours of landscape and its nature."

The exhibition will conclude on June 6.