Page 381 - Art and Crafts of Bangladesh

378 ART AND CRAFTS

Bangladesh. This practice of creating art which is close to life later inspired the artists
to create paintings on contemporary politics. The limitation of facilities of the Institute
forced the students to come out of studio-based paintings and academic naturalism.
The Fine Arts Institute of Dhaka did not have any tradition of western art as was
present in Kolkata. And also, this institute could not provide the facilities for painting
in the studio. However, it is not true that only the limitation of the facilities inspired
the artists of the generation of Aminul to create paintings which were socially
conscious and close to life. The greater truth was time itself which had a much deeper
influence, along with the belief and commitment of the representatives of that time.
Aminul had close relationship with the members of the Pragati Lekhak Shamha
(Progressive Writers Group) established in the 1940s in Dhaka. He studied in Dhaka
College for some time. In the late 1940s, the meritorious students of the country came
to study in this college. Among them, Aminul developed friendship with those who
had pledged to work for the emancipation of the poor of this country. At that time, he
embraced the philosophy of socialism and to the very present, his confidence in
Marxism remains unchanged.
At a certain point, the works of the revolutionary artists became more important to him
than the artistic ideas of Zainul. At the same time, the ever passionately experimental
artist thought that the kind of analysis of form that was going on in the arts of the west
would have to be integrated in the contemporary art of this country. Even the works
of his student life reflected the influence of the communist artist of Mexico – Rivera,
Siqueiros, and Orozco.
Aminul Islam finished his studies at the Institute of Fine Art, Dhaka in 1953. Starting
from his participation in 1951 in the exhibition of Dhaka Art Group – the first such
group of the country, he was participated in almost all the exhibitions. After
completing his course at the Institute of Fine Art, he went for higher studies at
‘Academia di Belli Arti’– the famed institute of Florence for studying art - from 1953
to 1956, having been awarded a scholarship by the Italian government. Upon
returning from Italy he joined the Institute of Fine Art, Dhaka as a teacher. In the
fig. 9.16 Florence, oil, course of his long teaching career, he became the Principal of the Institute – and after
1954 retirement he has kept himself engaged in various art-related organizations and
activities to the very present.
Aminul’s practice of art took a decisive
turn in Florence. He studied there under
the guidance of Primo Conti, the renowned
professor of that time. Besides, he was
introduced to many artists and writers of
Europe and America. The well-known
Colombian artist Fernando Botero was his
classmate. He also developed close rapport
with the American writer James Baldwin
through their common interest in