The New Nation - Internet Edition

Night Without Nightmare: Solo painting exhibition of Tipu Alam

Here we go, Acrylic on canvas and My forest but you
can lost, Mixed media

Sheikh Arif Bulbon

“I would like to introduce myself as an abstract painter. However, as an artist my background is in realistic painting. I received my under graduate degree in Drawing and Painting at the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. I worked realistically in pencil, pen and ink, watercolour, and oil colour. In my post-graduate program for MFA at the same school I started to break forms and tried to come out from realistic images. After schooling in Bangladesh, I came to New York and went to an art school, named the Art Students League of New York. There I was inspired to work in the abstract expressionist style," this was self-expression of promising expatriate artist Tipu Alam. His solo painting exhibition titled 'Night Without Nightmare' at Shilpangan Gallery in Dhanmondi the capital.

Tipu Alam has been living in New York since 2001 and returns after a long break. He is basically optimistic even though the thought pattern is very clear and intellectually high. Nature, objects and human figures are main dominating features of his works. Various themes always inspire his soul. His technique is quite impressive and exceptional. He always likes to experiment with new ideas. The vibrant colours, various shapes and form clearly express his themes. He tries to ensure a happy combination between colours and forms.

While mentioning his working procedure Tipu said, "In my painting I want to put my emotion. I try to translate my dreams, my feelings of love, inner torments, hungers, struggles, pain and pleasure, issues of socio-political events, and inter-personal conflicts, even sensuality. I was born and raised in Bangladesh, all my dreams and aspiration are related to that country.

On the other hand, as an immigrant I am in a new cosmopolitan milieu, a world of different cultures and people. Now I crave to mingle these two separate worlds artistically." Tipu always has a story to tell in his compositions in semi-abstract or symbolic patterns. Therefore, his images are colourful, vibrant and phenomenal. Fascinated by nature and its mysteries, his mind has been working firstly, with the emotional content of his personal life and secondly with his suffering heart pressuring him to work on these themes. His mental canvas covers a wide vista of aesthetic impressions he has gathered from life.

While describing his working style he said, "During my under graduate work at Bangladesh I mainly worked having the 'Indian flavor.' But when I was completing my masters at Lehman College, CUNY I started working on 'Abstract Expressionism.' I practiced this trend of my own for my masters. After coming to New York I was moved by the work of Jackson Pollock. His works inspired me a lot to choose my style. Actually I like Jackson Pollock's freeness of work, William de Kooning's line and Hans Hoffman's color."

Artist Tipu will return to the USA this month. The exhibition will end on November 8.

Asian contemporary art fair in New York

Art works of seven participant Bangladeshi
artists

Art & Culture Report

A five-day long Asian Contemporary Art Fair began in New York in the USA on November 6. Fifty-six art works of seven Bangladeshi artists are on display at the show.

The participant artists are - Qayyum Chowdhury, Rafiqun Nabi, Mahmudul Haque, Farida Zaman, Khurshid Alam Selim, Rokeya Sultana and Kanak Chanpa Chakma.

While leaving Bangladesh artist Qayyum Chowdhury said, "This is probably for the first time Bangladesh is going to participate in an international fair abroad." Through the show, we will portray our works among the Asian countries and the fair will play a role to uphold the culture of the country abroad, he said.

Other participant artists said, the art fair, to be organized for the second time, aims to rediscover Asia and the Asian contemporary avant-garde of art and culture. It will provide special opportunities for discovery and learning and an open dialogue with key figures of the art world.

Eighty galleries from across the world participated in the first fair and about 19,000 viewers enjoyed the works of the artists at the five-day mega event. About 90 galleries from 15 countries, including Bangladesh, China, Japan, Korea, India, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Turkey, Iran and United Arab Emirates, will attend the fair this year, said Subir Choudhury, Director of the Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts. Luva Nahid Chowdhury, Director General of Bengal Foundation, said "Through the fair, the Bengal Gallery is going to participate at an international art fair for the first time."

A six-member delegation from Bangladesh that includes four of the artists - Qayyum Chowdhury, Mahmudul Haque, Farida Zaman and Kanak Chanpa Chakma - left Dhaka to attend the festival. Two other members of the delegation are Qayyum's wife Tahera Chowdhury and Subir Chowdhury.

Hey Ananta Punya to be staged Nov 9

Art & Culture Report

Dance troupe Shadhona will present a dance drama 'Hey Ananta Punya' at the National Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy at 7:00pm on November 9.

Noted dance artiste and General Secretary of Shadhona Lubna Marium said, "The dance drama 'Hey Ananta Punya' is a production that finds its inspiration from Rabindranath Tagore's drama 'Natir Puja', an adaptation of his poem 'Pujarini.' Tagore has beautifully narrated the story of Sreemati, a dancer in the court of King Ajatashatru. The King had ascetically and ruthlessly established Hinduism as the state religion and kept no stone unturned to wipe off each and every trace of the ideology of Buddha, which his father, Bimbisar had pursued and perpetuated. Nati who was a seeker of peace and beauty sacrifices her life at the altar of Buddha - the epitome of love, peace and tolerance."

The dance drama is directed by Warda Rihab. She will also perform the role of the female head, 'Nati' while Lubna Marium will carry out the role of 'Rani.' Also, Samina Hossain Prema will play as 'Utpalparna' and Tahmina Anwar as 'Ratnavali.' The background score of the production, besides the songs of Tagore used is Hindu and Buddhist chants. The dance styles that have been used are Manipuri classical, folk and a modern dance form based on the folk and martial dance form of eastern India and Bangladesh.

Jatra-based play Shahjahan staged at Natmondol

Students of the Department of Theatre of Dhaka
University staged Shahjahan at Natmondal recently

Art & Culture Report

Department of Theatre of Dhaka University has organised a month-long workshop to train its students in 'Jatra' convention. Joytsna Biswas, SM Mohsin, Milan Kanti Dey, Sultan Selim, Rikta Sultana and other famous jatra artistes will be present as instructing participants about the conventions of this form of theatre through demonstrations. They will be informing them about the techniques, history, performance and evolution of jatra.

Through this workshop and the production of the play 'Shahjahan,' the jatra tradition is going to become part of the curriculum of the Department of Theatre of Dhaka University.

Funded by a grant made by Nazir Ahmed and Syed Ahmed, this month-long workshop on the jatra with the presentation of 'Shahjahan' were staged at the Natmondol Auditorium of Dhaka University by the third year students of the Department of Theatre on October 31 and November 1.

Prof Dr SMA Faiz, Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University was present as chief guest at the presentation, while Prof Dr AFM Yusuf Haider, Pro-Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University (DU), Syed Abul Kalam Azad, Treasurer of the DU, Prof Dr Sadrul Amin, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Prof Dr Harun-or-Rashid, Dean of the Social Science of DU, Dr Israfil Shaheen, Chairman of the Department of Theatre of DU, among others, were present on the occasion.

The jatra-based play Shahjahan will be staged from November 8 to 17 at of the TSC Auditorium as part of the Dhaka University Central Theatre Festival organised by the Department of Theatre. The VC of DU will inaugurate the festival as chief guest.