Exhibition offers glimpse into Bangladeshs modern art

By Kim Young-jin

An exhibition of Bangladeshi art opened last Thursday at the Korea Foundation Cultural Center in Seoul, showcasing the country’s contemporary scene that mixes ancient and modern for a dazzling effect.

Organized by the Embassy of Bangladesh in Seoul, the exhibition features 50 paintings by 12 of the country’s hottest artists.

The second such event, “Contemporary Paintings of Bangladesh II” gives local art lovers a glimpse into a hip art scene that manages to stay true to ancient roots.

“It will be exciting to see how the Korean people, who can rightfully boast of their own rich and ancient culture, receive the artworks from another old culture,” said Bangladeshi Ambassador to Korea Shahidul Islam at an opening reception, adding that the exhibition aims to promote understanding between the cultures.

Known for its vibrant colors, the modern art movement in Bangladesh draws upon a rich tradition characterized by a sense of harmony and use of delicate decorative lines.

The roots of the movement can be traced back, along with India’s modern art, to the influential Calcutta Government School of Art, which reincorporated ancient techniques into contemporary styles. A handful of key figures who attended the school moved to Dhaka after the Partition of India in 1947 and began a tradition that flourishes to this day.

Many of works on display hew to the themes established by those artists, such as a fascination for rural, working-class scenes, but add a dash of the avant-garde.

A series by Rafigun Nabi depicts a traditional scene of farmers and buffaloes, but with intricately-rendered figures cast in deep blue _ creating a sleek, moody atmosphere. In “Unknown Slum Queen 2” artist Shahid Kabir deftly blends mixed media to depict the back of a woman dolefully putting on (or taking off) a wispy red shawl.

The works also highlight the non-figurative, semi abstract painting styles developed in the 1980s when the movement moved to incorporate global styles.

Rokeya Sultana’s “Earth, Water, Air” series features bright shapes that fit together for a deep, kaleidoscopic effect, while Hashem Khan’s “Songs of Spring” uses generous splashes in an abstract piece that calls to mind a flower bouquet bursting with color.

Seven of the artists were on hand to open the exhibition, along with foreign ambassadors and Korean government officials. The exhibition, co-hosted by the Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts of Dhaka, runs through April 15.