Page 75 - Art and Crafts of Bangladesh

72 ART AND CRAFTS

four years. Throughout the fifties and sixties, the artistic community of this country
had to struggle against the conspiracy to destroy the tradition and heritage of Bengalis
along with creating artworks, they had to perform the duty of making the public aware
and conscious. Needless to say, in this cultural struggle, the fine artists were in the
front ranks and played the pioneering role in generating passion to create the mass
movement of sixty-nine. Many artists have fought in the Liberation War of seventy-
one with both brushes and weapons. Along with other cultural workers, the fine artists
have also played a part worthy of pride in the struggle for freedom.
Although political and cultural freedom of Bengalis were achieved in the post
seventy-one independent Bangladesh and the area and atmosphere of art practice
became much more favorable, it was not completely smooth. The lack of institutional
facility and shortage of materials did not go away, the certainty of employment and
livelihood was yet to be achieved. In the new state, the artist had to be occupied with
duties beyond creative pursuits– duty of establishing institutions, duty of earning the
minimum of professional convenience, duty of artistic decoration in the affairs of the
state and institutions and playing an advisory role in that regard etc. Apart from that
there are many areas of crisis and trouble in the artist’s individual creative world; he
has to create his path by resolving these difficulties. Just like any other country of the
third world, the art and culture of Bangladesh is also going through a crisis. There is
the conflict between tradition and modernity, the debate of indigenousness and
internationality, and above all, the all consuming influence of western culture. Within
these multidimensional forces of purpose and inspiration, it is not easy to be able to
indicate one’s distinctiveness in contemporary art. The art of Bangladesh is the
endeavoring to come out of this crisis.
A complete moving image of six decades of modern art of Bangladesh can be
described as a collection of multidimensional and multifarious scenes– it is like a
kaleidoscope image made of multifaceted crystals which is ever changing. It cannot
be identified through any definitive feature; various related elements and signs of
encouragement can be discovered on its surface. On one hand the decorativeness that
generally belongs to the eastern tradition, the shadow of Ajanta and Mughal art, the
use of religious and puranic symbols, the influence of Bengal’s unique manner of
regeneration, the inspiration of folk and local art can be identified here; on the other
hand the general inclination towards abstraction of western origin, inspiration of
various contemporary western styles and individual artists and influence of western
practice of realism in institutional education can also be identified. Some artists wish
to create a form of our contemporary art by combining local tradition and the modern
western styles of art. Others want to create art with cosmopolitan features using an
international language of art. This vacillation and diversity turned into a unique
feature of our art.
Despite all this variety the achievement of the art of Bangladesh is undoubtedly
praiseworthy. Many new institutions for art education have grown in various parts of