Page 64 - Art and Crafts of Bangladesh

PAINTING 61

has selected as subjects rivers, fish, and fishing net, elements which are very familiar
in Bengali life. Though these were extensively used before, she was able to give them
a completely original characteristic. Farida creates her painting by mainly adopting
the composition of waves, scribbles, textures, fine or thick lines, slight interplay of
light and shade that is within the structure of the net. She divides the pictorial plane
through horizontal and vertical curved lines and shapes through which the
composition of the fishing net is expressed. Even when she is using oil paint, she
applies the colors like a light wash, which is mingled in layers of light and shade–
this also creates the appearance of the fishing net. An underwater ambience is thus
infused. On top of this, the subject is revealed through fragile, curving, and subtle
lines, scratches etc. and intersecting lines like the structure of fishing nets. Sometimes
she uses the shape of the fish, the suggestion of points of light on the surface of water
etc. Recently Farida Zaman’s artworks show the appearance of a few different
subjects. Smooth colors and delicate application of light and shade gives her
paintings a pleasant ambience (pl. 1.28).
Quite a few other artists apart from the ones mentioned here appeared as painters
during the seventies and they have continued to create in various styles. Noteworthy
among them are Manjurul Hai (1944- ), Biren Shome (1948- ), Mahbubul Amin
(1948-2001), Abul Barq Alvi (1949- ), Kazi Hasan Habib (1949-1988), Asem Ansari
(1948- ), Maruf Ahmed (1951- ), Bonizul Huq (1948- ) and others. Manjurul Hai, Abul
Barq Alvi (fig. 1.35) and Maruf Ahmed attempt to create the thoroughly compact form
of the pictorial surface of complete abstraction. Biren Shome and Mahbubul Amin
create their pictorial surface in a slightly cubistic manner taking their inspiration from
the traditional art of Bangladesh. Hasan Habib’s main attempt is the modern structure
of the pictorial plane. However, he has searched for the roots of his inspiration in
numerous sources. Bonizul Huq wanted to achieve the same objective by resorting to
the form of the tree. Asem Ansari has utilized the material form of the human body to
represent a message that is somewhat surrealist and again, somewhat metaphorical.
4. The Eighties
The vitality that was initiated in the art world during the seventies immediately after
the Liberation War sustained during the eighties as well. The appearance of a huge
number of artists in painting, printmaking and sculpture was apparent in this decade
too. The art of this decade is full of substantial diversity due to experimentation with
new styles and manner in various branches and media of art. The appearance of a large
number of women artists is also another trend of this decade. After Novera Ahmed in
the fifties, we come to the seventies to find only painter Farida Zaman and sculptor
Shamim Shikdar. During the eighties, many women artists are seen who established
themselves by competing on a par with their male counterparts. The emotional
liveliness originating from self-discovery that was observed during the seventies lost
its spirit quickly due to the subsequent disappointment and the abstract style of the
earlier period again began to regain prominence. In the eighties, we see the rise of the