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Published by monmajhi, 2016-08-02 11:49:01

Art and Crafts of Bangladesh

Arts and Crafts of Bangladesh

48 ART AND CRAFTS


Debdas Chakraborty’s early experimental
artworks display in semi-real and semi-abstract
form, human figures, processions, gathering of
people, female face, female figure etc. Political
awareness and direct contact with politics are the
key sources of these subjects. He wants to turn
the human figure into a source of resistance. With
this joined, on one hand, his personal wounds and
the damages suffered by this country, and on the
other, the intense materialism of his subconscious
mind. Thus, in these paintings he reflects the
presence of heartbreaking feelings of sorrow and
the urge to resist which is present in human life as
well as his profound thirst for life and the
joyousness of his inner being. In his second stage,
Debdas Chakraborty’s journey, like his
contemporaries, went beyond reality and towards
the Abstract Expressionist trend (pl 1.15).
However, in this case he followed his emotions
more then his intellect or ideas. The paintings of
fig. 1.29 Nitun Kundu, this stage display the six seasons, rainfall, urban structures and other indications of
Festival-1, oil, 1990 visible nature. He is a bit different from his contemporaries in terms of the use of
colors. In contrast to the delicate and harmonized colors used by others, his works
display a tendency to use intense and frenzied colors. With this he added little displays
of ornamentation that makes his pictorial surface rich and charming.
Syed Jahangir became particularly proficient in watercolor as a student and in the early
stages after finishing his studenthood; the favorite subjects of his watercolors were
landscape and the tribal life in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Later on he became inclined
towards oil painting and abstraction, much like his contemporaries. Pebble and
diamond forms were scattered all over the canvas in his early phase of abstraction,
which may have been the reflection of life’s constant state of motion. In later stages,
his art became much more driven by philosophy, eagerly asking questions about life
and the universe. Titles like Atmar Ujjeeban (Regeneration of the soul), Ajanar
Anyeshay (In search of the unknown) are manifestations of this urge. He wanted to
capture the unknown mystery of the universe on his canvas in bright, splendid colors
and through forms that give the hint of sky, horizon etc. or suggestively represent the
glow of colors and the magnificent display of light at sunset. Sometimes he creates this
unworldly space through the flash of a shining ribbon like line in infinitely extending
space (pl. 1.17). He has again started to place worldly objects and subject matter on the
canvas in recent times. Although, in representation, they are almost close to abstraction,
it seems that Syed Jahangir may be involved in a study to enter a new stage.

PAINTING 49


The subjects of Kazi Abdul Baset’s paintings from the early stage were various
aspects of rural life, especially a single female figure (pl. 1.16) or pair of female
figures. He has accepted the impassioned colors of Impressionism, he has taken
geometric structures from Cubism, though all these were adapted to give expression
to his own romanticism and lyricism. In this phase, his use of colors showed a
delicate and poetic effect and his forms displayed the influence of wooden dolls and
shola (pith) folk art forms. After returning from abroad in 1964, Abdul Baset started
painting in the abstract style. His work gradually progressed towards creating a
universal form of nature by erasing all the apparent signs of reality. His shapes
contain an architectural characteristic and the shapes create between them a
relationship of horizontal and vertical contradiction. His colors, however, remain
quiet, delicate and soft. Abdul Baset’s paintings create in our consciousness
tenderness and poetic expression.
Along with the key artists of the fifties, Nitun Kundu, Kazi Abdur Rouf, Syed
Shafiqul Hussain, Shahtab (1936-), Mubinul Azim, Shamsul Islam Nizami (1937-
2004) and many others were involved in regular creative practice. Nitun Kundu
executed oil paintings, prints and sculptures. Though he was famous mainly for his
sculptures done in the method of metal casting and welding, Nitun Kundu was also
proficient in the realms of painting (fig. 1.29 ) and printmaking. Kazi Abdur Rouf,
who passed away untimely, illustrated the calm and serene rural life in a semi-
Cubist style. His painting is driven by emotion, sensuous and pleasing to the eyes.
Syed Shafiqul Hussain has worked in the abstract style, his paintings are
characterized by surface patterns of interpenetrating spherical geometric forms and
the use of bright primary colors. Shahtab participated in important exhibitions right
from the fifties and attracted attention in the sixties as a sensitive artist. Calm,
subtle and a bit sorrowful representation of boats and rivers in a simplified
geometrical form is typical of his paintings. Shamsul Islam Nizami has constantly
worked in both oil painting and pottery. His painting is in the purely abstract style,
mainly a composition of colors, textures and shades. By applying a coating of light
colors over a background of dark color the radiance of the color that lies under
shines through (pl. 1.18). Mustafa Monwar of the fifties is a skilled television and
stage director and the initiator of puppetry in this country. Apart from that, he has
also displayed original talent in stage decoration and costume design and many
other applied arts. Mir Mustafa Ali (1932- ) played a pioneering role in ceramics
in our country. Zunabul Islam and Imdad Hossain did so in batik print and cottage
industry respectively.
At various stages during the fifties artists’ associations and art collections
contributed to art practice and the organization of artistic movements in the former
East Pakistan. The importance of these is relevant due to historical reasons. Though
there are many such organizations and institutions at present, the contribution of
‘Dhaka Art Group’ founded in 1950 right at the very beginning amidst totally

50 ART AND CRAFTS


adverse circumstances and the contribution of ‘Art Ensemble’ founded at the
beginning of the sixties deserves to be mentioned. The birth of an artist’s association
just two years after an art education institution was founded in Dhaka and the
organizing of a large-scale exhibition is indeed a significant event. It must be
mentioned that paintings were shown in the exhibition of ‘Dhaka Art School’ in lieu
of entrance fees. ‘Art Ensemble’ was deeply involved with the art world of Dhaka
throughout the sixties. Although both these institutions are non-existent now, their
contribution in developing the taste for art in our country is certainly memorable.
The decade of the fifties is significantly important in the history of fine arts in
Bangladesh. Not only was it the introductory period of our institutional art practice
but also a productive period in the attempt to create a modern and unique style of art
through the emergence of a group of very creative and enterprising artists. Their
contribution in giving direction to our contemporary style of art is indeed
memorable. In fact, despite many limitations the surviving artists of the fifties are
still established in our realm of art as leading artists. 35
3. The Sixties
From the end of the fifties and throughout the sixties, military autocracy appeared
and began to develop in the political sphere of Pakistan. Military rule was in force
in Pakistan during most of this period and the fundamental rights of the people and
the democratic system was ruthlessly subdued. The autocratic military government
was very wrathful, particularly towards the rightful demands of the people of East
Pakistan and took the policy of terming any movement as a plot against the state
and applying force to deal with it was adopted by them. A large number of
progressive political and cultural workers were incarcerated for a long time. The
activities of the cultural world became subdued due to state obstruction and
harassment. From the latter half of the sixties, public opinion against military
autocracy started to become stronger and the barrenness continued in cultural
activities until this public opinion created a spirit of resistance within cultural
activities. The joy of freedom during the fifties in a country that has just gained
independence, the dream of joining the mainstream of the world that became
intensified through a burning youthful passion, diminished due to the reality of
dreams gone wrong during the sixties, hope and vitality was replaced with despair
and weariness. Even in the political domain, a great portion of the educated society
was attracted to progressive politics during the fifties and this created a significant
influence in the world of art and culture and generated optimism; this tide waned
during the sixties. The vitality in the domain of art and culture also became a lot
weaker; self-centeredness became more important than collective activities, artists
began to withdraw within themselves. Once the mass movement of sixty-nine
stirred the whole nation another wave of change began to form.
In visual arts, i.e. painting and sculpture, the signs of variety in the sixties were less
compared to that of the fifties. Throughout the sixties the key theme in the art of this

PAINTING 51


country was abstraction or semi-abstraction. Oil painting was the only medium of
creative painting. There was virtually no practice of sculpture and printmaking, even
if there was, its extent was very limited. In the sixties, all the leading artists of the
fifties, apart from a few, turned to pure abstract style and the practice of art became
merely creating an abstract composition on the pictorial surface. Instead of subject and
message, proficiency in the medium and cleverness of the composition became more
of a consideration for the artists. Most of the artists became engaged in following the
various abstract styles of their previous counterparts and a few special types of
abstraction developed. Nevertheless, some artists created paintings in semi-abstract
style with indigenous subjects and in indigenous contexts; some of the artists display
attempts to integrate various traditional motifs. However, visually pleasing
compositions of the pictorial surface remained the main concern. Though the artists of
the fifties remained as the major artists, a number of artists from the sixties attracted
attention by displaying original qualities and characteristics.
Among the artists working in the abstract trend emerging during the fifties, the first
to be distinguished is Abu Taher (1936- ). Though he is an artist of the Abstract
Expressionistic style, Abu Taher developed gradually, moving towards his
objective step by step. However, his partiality towards oil painting and putting on
heavy coats of paint was apparent from the beginning. The tendency of making
emotions more intense by creating textures, scratches or wound like textures in
high relief is also a characteristic of his. To this end, he mixed sand, sawdust etc.
with his painting materials. His paintings display an explosion of colors and
gradually they became compositions of colors and space only. In creating his
paintings, Abu Taher partially turns to the spontaneous and powerful wielding of
the brush, and sometimes he composes very slowly and with meticulous
concentration. However, his nervous colors, swollen wound like texture of the
picture plane and dramatic mood of conflict represent the pull of a powerful and
intense emotion (pl.1.19).
Though Samarjit Roy Choudhury (1937-) was mainly an artist of graphic
design, he has composed paintings for many years in oil painting, gouache,
watercolor and in other mixed media. He creates a decorative representation on
the pictorial plane using elements and motifs of nature and rural life of
Bangladesh. Birds, fishes, kites, traditional decoration with three-cornered
pieces of paper– these are his favorite subjects. His colors are pleasant and
delicate and transparent in quality.
Another artist of the sixties, Hashem Khan (1941-), also became well known in the
area of graphic design, particularly in book publication, designing book covers and
illustration. However, he is also one of the key painters of the sixties. Though, at first
he drew attention as a skilled artist of landscape painting in watercolor, later Hashem
Khan mainly used oil painting as his medium. Being politically and socially

52 ART AND CRAFTS


conscious, he always wanted to impart symbols, meaning and messages through his
artwork. The nature and surroundings of this country fascinates him completely– as a
result, raw green, golden yellow and bright blue have a permanent place in his palette.
Later fiery red was added to this collection. Hashem Khan places his favorite
symbols– plate, fish, man who earns his living by labor, and later crows in large
numbers– in a slightly geometric and expressionist abstract composition. The crow or
bird with spread wings have become a unique sign of his paintings through its
powerful presence. Along with pure bright colors, he creates a gradation of light on his
canvas and a highlighted center. As a result, the glow of colors and the conflict of light
and shade gives his paintings a dramatic effect (pl.1.21).
Rafiqun Nabi (1943- ) started his journey in the sixties skilled in landscapes in
watercolor, especially river views. In his middle phase, he became more renowned for
book illustration and as a cartoonist. After receiving advanced training on printmaking
from Athens during the period of 1973-1976 on a scholarship of the government of
Greece, he is now recognized as one of the key printmakers of the country. However,
his experimental compositions in watercolors and pastels began right from the sixties.
In the early stages fish, life of fishermen, the fishing rod, fishing net, and river appealed
to him. He wanted to compose the subject combining the folk and geometrical forms.
However, systematic geometry and organized compositions are not his preference. He
builds up his pictorial surface with a variety of lines, scratches and strokes. At this
fig. 1.30 Rafiqun Nabi, stage, his colors are not radiant, they are rather melancholy grays and brown (fig.1.30).
The Crowing Cock, Rafiqun Nabi has chosen woodcut as his medium for printmaking and he has secured
mixed media, 1999 a unique place especially as a printmaker due to his large, colorful woodcuts.
In addition to the aforementioned artists, there were also quite a
few artists who have worked in the abstract or semi-abstract style
from the sixties. The majority of them chose oil painting as their
medium. Notable names among them are Pranesh Kumar
Mandal (1941- ), Delawar Hossain (1939- ), Abdul Matin (?),
Golam Sarwar (1940-1995), Mohammad Mohsin (1940- ),
Anwarul Huq Pearu (1944- ) and others. The names of two
female artists of this period, who drew attention at the beginning
of the sixties as creative artists, must be mentioned. They are
Rumi Islam (?) and Mohsena Ali (1928- ).
Limitation in the use of media during the sixties is quite evident.
Media for creating paintings apart from oil painting and
watercolor is almost absent. In case of printmaking, no
mentionable new artist appeared (Rafiqun Nabi appeared as a
print maker in the seventies). Safiuddin of the forties and Kibria
of the fifties were still the main artists as far as printmaking was
concerned. Anwar Jahan created a few significant sculptures
with burnt wood and with a combination of burnt wood and

PAINTING 53


metal forms during the sixties. However, the inadequacy in painting and sculpture
during the sixties was mitigated to a great extent by the mass movement of sixty eight-
sixty nine and the extensive and significant participation of the artist community in the
political and cultural public revival. The artist community became the frontline of the
movement through drawing posters-banners-festoons, designing covers and
illustrating commemorative publications, designing stages for group songs and plays,
and especially through the display of narrative paintings drawn on large banners along
the walls of the Shaheed Minar on 21 February and drawing alpana all over the road.
The revival of alpana, various utility items with Bengali letters drawn on them,
introduction of the mela (village fair) etc. played a significant supportive role in
developing the consciousness of tradition. Art played a major part in the national
revival during the latter half of the sixties.

Bangladesh Period (1971– contemporary times)
4. The Seventies
The mass movement of sixty eight-sixty nine logically resulted in the Liberation War
of seventy one. A constant struggle against the persecution and oppression that the
East Pakistanis were subjected to right from the onset of the founding of Pakistan
gradually intensified during the fifties and sixties. The Liberation War of seventy one
is the eventual consequence of this struggle. This deprivation and persecution was
cultural just as it was political and economic. The authorities of Pakistan were always
active against the language, tradition and culture of Bengalis. Thus, the struggle of
East Pakistanis for their rights was a national revival on the one hand, and an effort to
gain freedom for their own tradition and culture on the other. One of the key
inspirations of the Liberation War was to create an environment conducive to
unimpeded practice and development of language and culture. Thus, the Liberation
War had a cultural dimension just as it had a political-military dimension and writers,
artists, singers, cultural workers, everyone played an important part in the struggle. A
few young artists fought directly in the battlefields of the Liberation War, many people
contributed in the promotion and publication of the government in exile. In this
context, we can specially recall the contribution of Quamrul Hassan. The poster
Annihilate these demons drawn by him instilled intense inspiration among those who
participated in the Liberation War (fig. 4.9).
Like all other fields, the independence of Bangladesh created a wave of powerful
vitality in the field of art. For the first time, Bengalis gained their own autonomous
national structure where their language and culture could develop without any
restriction under state support and patronization. And along with that, there was the
pride of victory in the blood besmeared Liberation War and a newly inspired
passionate patriotism. Thus, the seventies was a dynamic, enthusiastic, diversified,
and energetic period in the history of our art. Independence earned through a national
revival naturally created an inspiration to incline towards tradition and heritage. The
unilateral abstraction that had captured the field of art during the sixties dissolved in

54 ART AND CRAFTS


the seventies and representative forms again began to return to painting and sculpture.
An earnest attempt to search for tradition from various sources and links and applying
them in contemporary art started to become noticeable and there was a bid to view art
as not only externally beautiful compositions, but also holding social and political
message and implications in them. What was especially noticeable was the vitality in
the total field of art– a very large number of artists appeared in the art world and
introduced a great variety in the media and method of art. Even senior artists, who
were mostly artists of the abstract style during the previous decade, began returning to
executing paintings in subject based representative style inspired by the Liberation
War and victory. A huge number of young artists and students of art began to receive
opportunities for training in many different countries of the world during this period.
Opportunities for training in Japan, China, India and other oriental countries other
than the western ones started to bring fresh variations in style and method in our art
world. Art education centers were established outside Dhaka in Chittagong, Rajshahi
and Khulna, thus art practice expanded and became richer. Institutional organization
of exhibitions and competitions and state patronage was introduced through the
establishment of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. Artists began to be summoned for
the decoration of various buildings and establishments of the new state and the custom
of placing open-air sculptures as memorials of the Liberation War gained currency.
Through the Asian Art Biennale, the opportunity for the artists of our country to
participate in international exhibitions in various countries increased manifold, just as
artists got the opportunity to view directly artworks from other countries for the first
time. Thus, the seventies is naturally a period of revival in the art world of the newly
independent Bangladesh.
The art of our country developed in many diverse directions during the seventies. First
of all, substantial diversity was introduced in the case of media and material. The
practice of sculpture and printmaking was very limited in the previous decade,
whereas in this decade we can observe a huge increase in both. It is from this very
decade that we began to see sculptors in various media. It is also from the seventies
that we find artists who are solely printmakers. However, though realistic subject
based painting made a revival, abstraction still remained as a major style even in this
decade. Other important styles or manners that were introduced can be identified in
the following way– semi-representational form influenced by Cubism, the Surrealist
style and fantasy, modern application of realism, forms of art inspired by tradition and
indigenous art, art derived from other western styles or from the influence of an
individual artist etc. Needless to say, drawing such definitive lines of distinction is
extremely difficult, and even more difficult is to place an artist within a certain style.
The reason is that the same artist has followed different styles at different stages and
such instances are very common.
The most senior and the most celebrated among the talented artists of the seventies is
Monirul Islam (1943-). Although he completed his education in art in the mid sixties,
he bloomed as a creative artist at the beginning of the seventies upon receiving foreign

PAINTING 55


training. In 1969, Monirul Islam went
to the University of Madrid for
advanced training in art upon
receiving a scholarship from the
Spanish Government and after
completing his studies he settled
permanently in Spain. Among
Bangladeshi artists, Monirul Islam has
possibly earned the greatest
international renown and acclaim and
his dexterity in the technique of
printmaking has made him one of the
leading artists in this medium. During
the period of 1966-69, he became
recognized first as a skilled watercolor
artist, and later he became engaged in
experimental paintings in oil painting
in the Impressionist style. The life of
the bede (Nomadic boat dwellers), boats, nature etc. were his main subjects. He fig. 1.31 Monirul Islam,
encountered various modern methods of art when he went to the University of Madrid Air Journey, watercolor,
for training and his interest in varied subjects grew. Here he obtained advanced 2001
training first in mural painting and then in printmaking. Monirul Islam progressed
towards his maturity slowly and step by step. Although he is chiefly a printmaker, his
achievements in painting are also mentionable. Later Monirul Islam progressed
towards reducing association with reality from his picture plane, towards limiting such
connections through delicate lines and self created symbols (pl. 1.31). Along with this,
he has added Bengali calligraphy in some of his works. In his most recent works in the
etching and aquatint medium, he has completely exiled objects from his pictorial
surface and his artworks have gradually become a joyous and aesthetic expression
through the combination of subtle sensitive lines, spontaneous application of colors,
irregular strokes of the brush and spots of colors.
Among the artists who have attracted the attention of art connoisseurs during the first
half of the seventies through their original creativity are Shahid Kabir (1947- ),
Mansur ul Karim (1950- ), Chandra Shekhar Dey (1952- ), Hashi Chakraborty (1948- ),
Kazi Ghiyas (1951- ), Swapan Choudhury (1948- ), Kalidas Karmakar (1946- ) and
many others.
From 1975 to 1980, Shahid Kabir created paintings in tempera in the ornamental style
of miniature paintings. With his thoughts on painting was added mystical spirituality
to some extent, the crisis of human existence to some degree, the thought of death and
the language of protest to a certain degree. He created his own world by combining
popular belief, tradition and the fantasy world. His picture plane is composed of a well

56 ART AND CRAFTS


organized and subtle sequence of
shadows, and over this he creates a
texture of ornamentation. His colors
are subdued and morose; the forms are
simplified yet decorative. The artist is
living in Spain from the eighties and is
involved in printmaking. However, the
selection of insignificant objects as
subjects of painting, anguished
application of oil painting, and
attempts at representations extending
towards the entirety of the surface
create a different indication (fig. 1.32).
In his practice of art, Mansur ul Karim
is given to experimentation, not
following a certain technique or style
for a long period. Only very recently
has his mature and original manner of
fig. 1.32 Shahid Kabir, expression been strongly established, which has currently especially attracted the
Maria, oil on paper, attention of art connoisseurs. He is always engaged in developing himself by
1998 continuously cultivating and refining his practice and experience. His work was
influenced by Picasso and Cubism in the early stage, and then gradually passed
through Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism to settle temporarily in semi abstract
naturalism, and in later stages, abstraction and semi-abstraction returned along with a
strong presence of the male-female figures in his painting. The colors of his abstract
paintings are serious and solemn; the coating thick and opaque. On the other hand, in
the semiabstract phase of his paintings, bright colors like waves of light are floating
in a spontaneous dance of delight. In the subsequent stage, he abandoned the tendency
of being engrossed in romantic emotionality and style and he used the technique of
applying undulating spontaneous lines and translucent and direct colors (pl. 1.22). In
his latest artworks, rather than various techniques of applying paint and cleverness in
creating texture, his partiality towards drawing lines and the graceful ease of applying
colors and the effort to present statements is noticeable. It can be said that through
sincere effort and arduous endeavor, Mansur ul Karim has displayed more maturity
than his contemporaries in his paintings.
Chandra Shekhar Dey was recognized as a promising artist at a very young age. He
utilized the relationship between the tightly knit composition of abstract forms and
sensitive colors with skill in his early paintings. However, later on, his paintings did
not limit itself to any particular manner or style. Sometimes he has worked with
simplified composition of the human form, sometimes highly ornamental patterns
became the fundamental subject of his picture plane (pl. 1.23), and sometimes he has

PAINTING 57


imposed realistic faces within a geometric composition. At one stage, he has worked
in a manner resembling rickshaw painting in which his originality is evident. Chandra
Shekhar’s skill in using and controlling the medium is apparent everywhere, however,
the inconsistency in style does not make him identifiable by any characteristic trait to
the very present.
Hashi Chakraborty also made a mark by displaying his possibilities at a young age. In
the first stage, he progressed towards work in the Surrealist style. His key focus is the
sweetness of colors and the interplay of light and shade in nature; thus, Hashi returns
to his fascination for nature–the soft composition of nature, to recreate the lyrical
melody which is created with the interplay of light and shade. His paintings gradually
became free of the influence of human presence and developed into the
representations of trees, leaves, sky, stars, moon, the sparkling of sunlight and many
other unblemished symbols of nature. He integrated the picture plane by using delicate
forms bound by curved lines, translucent colors and the radiance of bright light. His
graceful composition of colors and the shimmering light and shade portrays a lyrical
and enchanting world (pl. 1.35).
Kazi Ghiyasuddin attracted attention through his skillfulness in creating realistic
paintings in watercolor right from the beginning of the seventies. He did some
experimental work during this time in which the inspiration of motifs from folk art and
ornamentation is noticeable. In the mid seventies, he went to Japan for advanced
training and from then on he has permanently resided there. Kazi Ghiyas is one of the
leading expatriate artists who have earned acclaim through their high skills and
creativity. Along with painting in oils, he has continued his practice in watercolor and
is eminent in the field of painting of Japan as one of the leading artists in the watercolor
medium. In both watercolor and oil painting, he builds up the pictorial surface with a
density of textural quality. In the watercolor paintings, the pictorial plane is first
divided into geometric composition. Rectangular, circular, semi-circular or other types
of shapes like pieces of paper of various colors and texture are combined to compose
the surface plane; on this there is an arrangement of small scribbles, criss-crossings,
scratches, lines etc. The use of space in these paintings of Kazi Ghiyas is noteworthy,
the unbounded surface giving the impression of a huge expanse of space. In the use of
colors, he possesses delicate and sensitive skills. Forms and geometry diminished from
his watercolors of later stages; the transparent and spontaneous delicate coats of
watercolor create the surface and the small scribbles create the suggestion of thoughts.
His latest paintings in this medium have moved towards more simplification and
facility; the parts of white paper are visible through gaps in the layer of colors like
bright light. The small motifs and forms that are seen in Kazi Ghiyas’ paintings are like
the half developed thoughts and suggestions of a child’s mind. The artist has created a
dense pictorial surface with textures, scratches and interweaving lines in the oil
painting medium as well and in recent times his attention is more focused in creating
textured abstract pictorial surfaces in oil painting (pl. 1.24).

58 ART AND CRAFTS


From the very beginning, Swapan Choudhury has shown the tendency to experiment,
travelling from one style to another almost simultaneously. The traditional doll-like
male and female figures with long necks in the paintings from his initial stage are to
a certain extent expressive of ideas of Surrealism. Besides, Swapan Choudhury is also
very much interested in creating textures on the pictorial surface, wishing to create an
ambience of a special feeling on the canvas by pasting various objects, especially
crumpled clothes, to the canvas. With texture as the key element, some of his paintings
during this period are completely abstract. His tendency to create relief on the picture
plane remained even in later stages. His paintings during the eighties are generally
abstract in form and texture has remained as the key element rather than shapes or
composition of color. Nevertheless, a tendency to create patterns by dividing the
pictorial surface through vertical and horizontal shapes can be observed in a few
paintings. At present, Swapan Choudhury has settled in the Abstract Expressionistic
style in watercolor and mixed medium on paper (pl. 1.25).
In terms of the variety in the use of medium, distinctiveness, and novelty in
representations, Kalidas Karmakar is an outstanding artist of the seventies. Kalidas’
artworks cannot be defined by any particular attribute. In painting, as far as use of
medium is concerned, he has used oil painting, gouache to various other types of
mixed media. He has attached metal pieces, wood, sand, plaster and many other types
of loose objects to the pictorial surface, sometimes even adding a complete part of a
car. With the wash technique of watercolor, he has added mixed medium, pen and ink
with tempera. In printmaking, he has created prints through etching, aquatint and a
variety of other mixed media. Some unifying qualities may be discovered among his
various types of artworks. Firstly, an oriental characteristic can be observed in his
paintings and prints, be they abstract or representational. The inspiration for his
representational paintings is generally religion, Purana, folk belief, religious symbols
etc. He has accepted the method of installing the deities of Hindu belief in the
structural composition of his paintings. He uses the element of fantasy that is present
in Hindu belief and mythology to create his own surreal world. Secondly, when he
proceeded towards abstraction he collected the abstract elements and symbols from
his own tradition, mainly from Tantric patterns and symbols. Thirdly, he uses a
flowing ornamental line in painting and printmaking which is obtained from the
indigenous tradition. A densely composed design of color, line, form and texture is a
key trait of his paintings and prints, a trait that is traceable in all his artworks despite
the use of various media and materials (fig. 1.33).
The few noteworthy painters who have appeared with original qualities in the latter
half of the seventies are Mahmudul Haque (1945- ), Shahabuddin Ahmed (1950- ),
KMA Quayyum (1950- ) and Farida Zaman (1953- ).
After graduating in painting at the very end of the sixties, Mahmudul Haque entered
his own world through extended experimentation and practice. The advanced training
in printmaking due to the scholarship of the Japanese government helped him to be

PAINTING 59


successful in the most recent techniques and trends of art.
Despite attaining the technical skills of printmaking, Mahmudul
Haque was more focused on developing himself as an oil painter.
From the very beginning he had the aspiration to represent the
two-dimensional quality of the pictorial plane and though there
were indications of human forms at the very primary stage, he
was quick to engage in abstract compositions. Even when he
wished to create compositions that resembled visual objects in
printmaking he chose the form of inorganic rocks rather than
human or animal forms, where he can give the form an image
according to his own wishes. Mahmudul Haque very gradually
passed through the various stages of abstraction. In his early
artworks in this style, we can see that he has divided the pictorial
surface through large flat sections of colors, sometimes in a
somewhat geometric arrangement, yet most of the time through
spontaneous strokes of a thick brush. Later on, small scratches,
decoration, and textures were included in this. Subsequently, he
gradually progressed towards removing the distinct boundaries
of geometry and colors from the background and creating an
obscure atmosphere of colors that are lost within one another.
The color of the background is now melting and blended into one
another, like rain washed nature. On this obscure background he creates a hint of
forms and shapes through a variety of scratches and scribbles. Mahmudul Haque’s
colors are soft and delicate, the prominence of blue and green giving the impression
of proximity to nature (fig. 1.34).
Shahabuddin finished his education in Dhaka during the seventies and then went to
France for advanced training in painting. Later he permanently settled in Paris.
Shahabuddin’s noteworthy skills and strength in the oil painting medium was evident
at a young age. Even before going abroad when he just finished art education in Dhaka,
his intense realistic
paintings caught the eyes
of art connoisseurs.
Though the opportunity of
western education fig. 1.33 Kalidas
familiarized him with the Karmakar, Inner Eye,
most modern trends of art, wood block and mixed
his preference never media, 1995
deviated from realism and
from human subjects. The fig. 1.34 Mahmudul
endless possibilities of the Haque, The Blue
Interior, oil on canvas,
human body captivated 2001

60 ART AND CRAFTS


Shahabuddin. The Liberation War obsessed him and his experience of it gave him the
concept of the extreme dynamism of the human body. Shahabuddin’s reality is built in
the fashion of western anatomy and interplay of light and shade. He tears down this
mere reality through the frenzied handling of the paintbrush, and by partially absorbing
the intensely dynamic figures into the background. The movement of the figure is so
forceful that it appears that it will burst out of the canvas like an explosion, but as it is
integrated with the background in places, the canvas pulls it back into its own place.
Although his drawing, colors and light and shade are realistic, he establishes the subject
through a few forceful strokes by the powerful handling of the brush alone. The
background in his paintings remains almost indistinct, the subject becoming even more
intense against this neutral backdrop. Thus, Shahabuddin became modern without
transforming reality. Our Liberation War becomes manifest through passionate
emotions and support through his paintings. This is a specialty of Shahabuddin. In his
paintings, man is again established through his own grace in contrast to abstraction and
design oriented tendencies (pl. 1.27).
KMA Quayyum – a contemporary of Shahabuddin– sought in his painting untarnished
pure beauty. He went a long way in this quest, experimented with various types of
representation, gradually progressing from one stage to the other. Quayyum is
romantic by nature, which is present in his early subjects and the vivacity of his colors.
In the first phase, he drew rural subject matters in simplified outlines and represented
them through applying bright, flat colors, the artist’s childhood memories probably
being the key inspiration to this. In the subsequent phase, the tree become his main
subject occupying the whole canvas accompanied by people, birds etc. Although
masks and self-portraits and a few different compositions were noticed in between, a
microscopic observation of the beauty lying within trees, leaves, flowers etc. directed
Quayyum towards his pursuit. To create an independent form free of earthly existence
is the aspiration of his journey. Yet, his powerful fascination towards nature and the
fig. 1.35 Abul Barq living world pulls him towards organic forms. As a result, though his paintings do not
Alvi, Feeling-III, display any representation or resemblance, they create an impression of organic
gouache, 2000 vitality, which distinguishes him from the abstraction of many other artists. In later
times, he added geometric background and a few
detached parts of human anatomy to this subject
of nature. Perhaps he intends to place the
delicate and subtle accompaniment of tactile
sense at the same level as the most delicate
beauty of nature. Recently, Quayyum has used
the divergent pressure of cloth, rope and stone, as
if intending to represent anguished human
existence through it (pl. 1.26).
Farida Zaman appeared as an artist with original
characteristics at the end of the seventies. She

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

62 ART AND CRAFTS


intellectual perspective rather than emotion with respect to giving place to tradition
and heritage in art and whereas earlier artists mainly used the external motifs of
tradition in a visually decorative way, the eighties’ artist took style, colors etc. from
tradition and attempted to apply them in modern context. The light jest and humor that
is used in the modes of our traditional art was never accepted in the modern
institutional practice of art. Our modern art has always been serious and grave. In this
context, a few artists of the eighties have displayed an exceptional perspective.
Symbolic suggestions under the guise of jest and humor, subtle mockery and light
affectation disguising double meaning were expressed in their works. The various
post-modern western techniques are finding their place in our art to an even greater
extent. The use of various mixed medium is increasing just as variety in materials is
extending. Though abstraction remained as a prominent style, other various post-
modern styles of western art also had some influences– for example the initiation of
Conceptual Art, especially installation artworks. Many artists of the eighties have
represented the social and political context in their own style in which an intellectual
attempt to synthesize various elements of east and west is noticeable.
Many artists of the eighties created their own original pictorial language, yet others
were occupied with experimentation in style and were at a stage of development. The
original characteristic of many artists did not yet manifest themselves with distinctive
qualities and they were also moving from one style to another. Nevertheless, during
this decade, we find a number of painters who already have drawn the attention of the
art world through their creative talent and forceful manner of expression and they
became significant in the contemporary art world of Bangladesh. Noteworthy among
the painters of the eighties are Ranjit Das (1956-), Kazi Rakib (1955-), Jamal Ahmed
(1955-), Mohammad Eunus (1954-), Tarun Ghosh (1954-), Shahadat Hussain (1955-),
Ruhul Amin Kajol (1956-), G. S. Kabir (1960-), Dhali Al Mamoon (1958-), Nasreen
Begum (1956-), Rokeya Sultana (1958-), Shishir Bhattacharjee (1960-), Mominul
Reza (1953-), Nisar Hossain (1961-), Nazlee Laila Mansur (1952-), Dilara Begum
Jolly (1960-), Sheikh Afzal (1960-), Niloofar Chaman (1962-), Atia Islam Anne
(1962-) and many others.
Ranjit Das wished to create the image of urban scenery in the Abstract Expressionistic
style in his first phase. In an impasto of a thick paintbrush with very rapid vertical,
horizontal and angular strokes, he created an immediate image of urban buildings,
lanes and by-lanes. In the subsequent phase, after dwelling in abstraction for a while,
he divided the canvas in geometric arrangements and created fragmented images by
placing various partial representations of the human body. Thus, he wants to reflect the
distress and agony of the life of contemporary humankind through hints and symbols.
His skilful use of oil paints, manifestation of various textures and lines on the surface
creates a sensitive pictorial plane (pl. 1.29).
Kazi Rakib, has worked in various styles and in various media. It is not possible to
identify him through any particular characteristic. As media he has used oil painting,

PAINTING 63


tempera, silk, dye, terracotta, glass, and various techniques of printmaking and even
embroidery. Apart from that he created a few installations. Rakib’s pictorial style
also wandered from realistic representation to semi-abstract, abstract, and various
trends and manners influenced by folk art (pl. 1.40). However, a correlation may be
noted within this– which is Kazi Rakib’s inquisitiveness and his tendency to
experiment. Another aspect which is noteworthy is his uniqueness and originality.
His glass paintings and installations of recent times done in various techniques also
reflect his uniqueness.
Jamal Ahmed began as a skilful artist in realistic painting and watercolor and
eventually became engaged in oil paintings in complete abstraction. The glow of
colors that fade into one another rather than the geometric is the main accomplishment
of his abstraction. Within this he has used small shapes, scratches, and textural
patterns. Recently he has engaged himself in an altogether new experimentation– he
has executed small sized miniature like paintings and large sized paintings at the same
time in watercolor, acrylic, and crayon. Here he has returned to the human form, to
almost academic naturalism. Through huge corpulent nude men and women or in large
female portraits, Jamal Ahmed perhaps wants to reflect the mental conflict of the life
of modern man afflicted by loneliness (pl. 1.32).
Among his contemporaries, Mohammad Eunus’ skill in creating a luxurious canvas in
oil painting is quite evident. The fragmented form of urban structures and the skilful
representation of lanes and bye-lanes are the subject matter of his early works. At a
later phase, he leaned towards abstract representation, though adding various
connections with actual experience within it. Various images and symbols have found
place in his canvas in fragments. Sometimes he even attaches objects that he has
picked up somewhere. However, the rich compositional quality of Eunus’ surface is
created through the richness of color application, through the handling of the
paintbrush and the construction of texture and the dense harmony of lines and
scribbles (pl. 1.30).
Tarun Ghosh attempted to create his own pictorial language right from the beginning.
His profound attraction towards indigenous tradition made him interested in the folk
heritage. Like many other artists, the Behula tale also appealed to him tremendously.
However, Tarun did not make particular use of folk elements in the compositional
style of his paintings. His Behula tale appears through shapes, lines, colors, and
scribbles and a densely knit surface of textures. Thus, Tarun has obtained inspiration
from folk art yet created an original style for himself (pl. 1.33).
Shahadat Hussain started off as a printmaker and displayed technical skills in the
various media of printmaking. However, after becoming a resident of Paris, he
gradually turned mainly into a painter. His works done chiefly in watercolor and oil
painting reflect his personal dream world, a world filled with conflict between real and
super human forms. The immense metamorphosis of forms creates in his paintings a
manifestation of modern man filled with suffering.

64 ART AND CRAFTS


Ruhul Amin Kajol, another artist living abroad, is continuing to express himself in
various media. One of the key substances of Kajol’s artworks is intense condemnation
of various inconsistencies of society, deceit, oppression, self-seeking crooked politics
in the name of religion etc. Just as the flow of events of his homeland moves him
despite his living in far away Denmark, the ruthless nature of international politics that
he observes up close also becomes a subject of his art. However, Kajol’s key
uniqueness is his very distinctive style of composition which is completely different
from the mainstream trend in Bangladesh (pl. 1.31). Kajol is a pioneering artist of
Bangladesh in the field of creating artworks through collective effort. Creating Traffic
Art over large spaces both at home and abroad by bringing together young artists and
huge installations made solely of bamboo are his notable artistic endeavors.
G.S. Kabir drew attention through technical finesse and proficiency of representation
at a very young age. At first he created the pictorial surface with a layer of smoothly
and gradually dissolving colors, and subsequently he incorporated geometric
divisions, upon which were composed realistic forms. Sometimes they are realistic to
the level of photorealism, sometimes they are a bit stylized; completely abstract forms
and textures were also used occasionally. Later, Kabir transformed totally. Completely
abstract forms, lines, colors and the pleasing arrangement of texture has become the
preoccupation of his painting. Through his technical proficiency, Kabir displays his
skill in making his statement captivating by removing the taste of the media (pl. 1.34).
Dhali Al Mamoon is politically and socially aware, interested in using painting as a
weapon to communicate his responsibility and message. Creating visual beauty on the
fig. 1.36 Nasreen canvas is not his objective; he wants to draw attention, to shock. Thus, from the onset
Begum, After Ceremony, Mamoon’s distinction drew interest. The human being is the subject of his
watercolor, 1992
consideration; he reveals the true nature of opportunistic disguised people with a
combination of ridicule and humor. He overcame the early attraction towards Bacon
and other western artists in the same category and gradually
searched within indigenous folk tradition for the inspiration of
style. For a period, the Behula tales captivated him (pl. 1.36). In
recent times, Mamoon has come out of the world of folk art and
he wishes to create stronger representations in various forms of
art. For that, apart from painting he has represented his
conceptual projects through drawing, photography, sculpture,
video with sound and lighting.
Nasreen Begum chose watercolor as her key medium. Though at
first she created paintings in watercolor in the conventional so-
called oriental style, in later periods her works began to display
her distinctive style. Through an open door in the middle of the
canvas the world on the opposite side is seen– using this form,
she represents the post-marriage tragedy of ruined dreams against
the pre-marriage hopes and desires of a woman’s life (fig. 1.36).

PAINTING 65


Through her selection of meaningful fig. 1.37 (top) Rokeya
symbols and measured application of Sultana, Air, Water,
colors, the dualistic life of woman Earth, tempera, 2000
becomes manifested. However,
sometimes she shows a tendency to fig. 1.38 (bottom)
represent woman in an overly Dilara Begum Jolly,
Udbhash-1 (Emergence-
romanticism affected ornamental 1), acrylic on canvas,
composition. 2000
Rokeya Sultana was one of the leading
artists of Bangladesh in the eighties.
She was always diligent, and at the
same time creative from the onset.
Beginning as a printmaker, Rokeya
soon began to be known as an artist
inclined to experiment in various
media of painting. As most other
women artists, the world of woman was the subject of her interest at the beginning,
especially the mother and child– which may be a reflection of her individual feelings.
However, gradually her interest went beyond the limits of the world of woman and
began to spread into the wonder of the entire universe and of the existence of man and
woman within the context of the universe. Rokeya wished to capture the form of
universal nature in abstract compositions by using unconventional media such as
tempera, and by capitalizing on the somewhat suddenly created
surface of the canvas. In recent times, simplified human forms,
depiction of the eternal conflicting relationship between humankind
and nature has been added to this (fig. 1.37).
Shishir Bhattacharjee is slightly different in his style of representing
messages through humor and satire. Forceful condemnation of
abominable political and social practices is Shishir’s leitmotif as well;
he represents the hideous and repulsive face of the leaders of society
in their undisguised ugliness. As a result, his paintings bring to our
perspective an uncomfortable contradiction. Shishir has not only
struck out with the unknown in creating forms, he has also demolished
the conventional composition of the pictorial plane. He uses his skill
of drawing in the ultimate use of exaggeration and transformation of
the human body and expressions, in creating the unbelievable world of
comic and fantasy. Shishir tears down the stylized discipline of
composition and disperses forms haphazardly throughout the canvas,
creating the forceful form of his individual style. Thus, Shishir
becomes unconventional through representation and striking
expressions (pl. 1.37).

66 ART AND CRAFTS


Mominul Reza’s aspiration is pure beauty; his perception is romantic and poetic.
Through the composition of form, color and space he wishes to create his world;
though he does not intend to completely eliminate reality from the picture plane.
Thus, he selects a few simple forms from the everyday objects and creates a series
by painting through the representation of these objects, such as– hanger, clip,
ladder, swing, still life. On a cosmos like background, these create a different
implication. From time to time Reza practices complete abstraction by combining
clusters of colors. The romantic emotion is apparent in his character in the liveliness
of colors everywhere.
Among the artists of the eighties, the most agitated form of protest is probably noticed
in the paintings of Nisar Hossain. It seems as if Nisar intends to express the cruel form
of a monstrous and destructive age on his canvas. It is as if Nisar arms himself and
attacks the intolerant fundamentalism that is now about to consume all that we have
gained. As a result, his paintings arouse an utterly hideous form. He divides the canvas
in dazzlingly bright areas, and on this the horrifying frantic look of the gaping mouthed
fig. 1.39 Atia Islam frenzied monster is arranged, it seems as though all the humane feelings of the physical
Anne, Women and existence are devoid there. His unique philosophical world is manifested in the
Society, oil on canvas, avoidance of expensive materials in the use of colors and surface and in the use of
2000 inexpensive ordinary materials. Thus, Nisar Hossain has become a portrayer of protest
of our contemporary times (pl. 1.38).
Nazlee Laila Mansur’s leitmotif is also woman. However,
instead of representing the form of injustice towards woman
through a few familiar symbols of protest, which the woman
artists generally do, she has selected a manner of expression
completely distinct from this. She finds elements of contradiction
and mockery in the various ordinary and everyday incidents and
scenes of conjugal life. However, it is not as though political and
social circumstances do not affect her, although such concerns
come into Nazlee’s paintings through hints and through
suggestions of ambiguous meaningfulness. Although her style is
representational, she brings a multi-angular dimension to her
paintings by changing the realistic perspective and by freedom in
the selection of colors. Nazlee has kept on displaying a
distinctive perception by representing the various day-to-day
elements of urban life from a different perspective (pl. 1.39).
Another important artist of the eighties is Dilara Begum Jolly.
Jolly also started as a printmaker; however, she gradually became
engaged in composing paintings in various media, later leaning
towards sculpture, installation and mixed types of artworks.
Thus, Jolly’s work combines various dimensions and media.
Nevertheless, the different emotions of the psyche of woman
have been the leitmotif of her works. Jolly creates her canvas in
the likeness of an imaginary extended fantasy world, where

PAINTING 67


super-natural flowers, trees and birds are floating in a
dreamlike world, and pulsating female figures are moving
around. It is as if a narration of the dream of woman’s
attempt to gain freedom, the language and style of
expression of which is completely original (fig. 1.38). Jolly
also wants to capture the physical pain of woman in
symbolic expressions. For that reason, she sometimes
attaches three-dimensional objects to her paintings, bringing
profound meaningfulness to representation.
In his style of drawing, Sheikh Afzal is perfectly realistic;
however, through proficiency in style of drawing and
through technique of presentation, his realistic human forms
achieve a different dimension. The focus of his interest is on
the lower class children who labor for their living. He places
them against an almost abstract background that is cruel and without context. Through fig. 1.40 Mohammed
the exact repetition of the figures maybe he attempts to represent the dreary misery of Iqbal, Could You
their life (pl. 1.41). Afzal’s recent works have begun to display upper-class women in Recognize Me? oil,
an almost same type of realistic representation. Maybe he represents here their 1998
loneliness despite being surrounded by an environment and companions.
Though Niloofar Chaman was one of the youngest artists of this decade, her
compositions were strongly distinctive. In the primary phase, she used her skill of
creating realistic figures, bringing simplicity to figures, two-dimensionality and
geometric composition to the picture plane. At this stage, her paintings are virtually
monochromatic. In later stages, she became agitated in application of colors– creating
her language of painting through the flat application of bright primary colors and
through bringing about substantial change in the resemblance to reality of the forms.
Later, Niloofar brought further changes to her style. In contrast to the customary
method of applying oil paint, she creates forms through small strokes of the brush,
much of the canvas remaining colorless. She also brings the shapes down to childish
naïve simplicity; innovation enters the subject and composition as well. Recently a
massive change has again come to her paintings. Radiant shapes in bright yellow
against a backdrop of deep blue seem to be floating in the emptiness of the cosmos. It
is as if the organic liveliness of the shapes expresses the frightening mysteriousness of
the subconscious mind of woman (pl. 1.42).
Atia Islam Anne, another one of the youngest artists, also has a distinct language of
painting. She is forcefully vocal against the injustice and oppression against woman
and she likes to express it in a language that is straightforward. Though her language
of painting is filled with symbols and metaphors, the symbols are simple and easy to
understand. Anne mainly intends to express the suppression of women within the
boundaries of family. Sometimes Annie represents, with horrific reality, the position
of woman in a male dominated society, woman who faces outrageous brutality of man

68 ART AND CRAFTS


driven by carnal passions and woman who is chained by the same society. Her
paintings are not comforting, a direct manifestation of a society gone bad (fig. 1.39).
In addition to those mentioned above, there were quite a few artists during the eighties
who displayed skills in painting. Notable among them are Naima Haque (1953-),
Nasim Ahmed Nadvi (1954-), Dipa Haq (1953-1999), Showkatuzzaman (1953-2005),
Ahmed Shamsuddoha (1958-), Tajuddin Ahmed (1955-) (pl. 1.43), Golam Faruque
Bebul (1958-), Siddhartha Talukder (1958-), Hritendra Kumar Sarma (1961-), Sanjib
Datta (1961-) (pl. 1.44), Osman Pasha (1963-) and many others. At the end of the
eighties, a few more young artists in various branches of art began to draw the
attention of art connoisseurs. Noteworthy among them are Mohammad Iqbal (1967-)
(fig.1.40), Sufia Begum (1968-), Fareha Zeba (1961-), Khalid Mahmood Mithu
(1960-) (pl. 1.45), Syed Hasan Mahmud (1958-), Goutam Chakraborty (1965-),
Iftekhar Uddin (1960-), Fokhrul Islam (1964-), Nazrul Islam Aghrani (1963-), Kazi
Salahuddin Ahmed (1963-) and others. Many of them have displayed significant
proficiency and distinctiveness to date while others show promise.
5. The Nineties – Contemporary times
The revolutionary changes that have been taking place in the international art arena
since the latter half of the twentieth century began to have a significant influence in the
art world of Bangladesh beginning from the nineties. The idea of Conceptual Art has in
fact completely changed the disciplines of the traditional methods of fine art that were
prevalent for decades. For many years, visual art was practiced mainly in the distinct
branches of three different media– painting, sculpture and printmaking. Of course, many
new materials were added with the advent of the twentieth century, such as– collage or
mixed media, photography, use of found or manufactured objects, addition of light and
sound, or kinetic sculptures; however, although the distinction between the media
became unclear at some points amidst all this, it never completely vanished.
Due to conceptual artworks that the artists of the West have presented during the last
few decades of the twentieth century, not only is the media based distinction of fine
art about to be eliminated, but also the distinction between the visual arts and the
performing arts is on the verge of disappearance. Artists of fine art are now making
videos, performances, site-specific art, happenings and many types of installations and
presentations. It is not possible anymore to place these expressions of art in
conventional categories. What painting, printmaking, photography, sculpture,
manufactured objects, sound, light, film, performance are presenting us today by
disintegrating and merging into one another can in a word be termed as the ‘art piece’.
This is also what the present-day artists demand. They do not want to
compartmentalize what they execute. Instead, whether what they create is creative
artwork or not should be the only consideration– this is their demand. From the
nineties, many artists of the new generation of our country have worked in this new
global style, moreover, some of them have already shown significant potential.
Though this discussion is supposed to remain confined within the subject of painting,

PAINTING 69


due to the characteristic lack of distinction of contemporary art, it is not possible to
keep this discussion limited within the boundaries of painting from the beginning of
the nineties. Instead of that, those painters are discussed who are overall noteworthy
and promising and whose works are mainly related to painting even though they are
of a mixed nature. Those who are exclusively sculptors or printmakers naturally
remain beyond the scope of this discussion.
Among the artists who have worked mainly as painters and those who worked in the
various mixed presentations related to painting from the onset of the nineties are
Abdus Shakoor Shah (1947-), Kanak Chanpa (1963-), Mahbubur Rahman (1969-),
Tayeba Begum Lipi (1969-), Ashok Karmaker (1963-), Sulekha Chaudhury (1972-),
Tasadduk Hossain Dulu (1971-) and Ronni Ahmmed (1971-) may be considered as
notable. Apart from that, among those who have emerged as potential artists mainly
through painting are Fahmida Akhter Kakoli (1974-), Faruk Ahamad (1967-), Bipul
Shah (1967-), Zahed Ali Chowdhury (1970-), Ashraful Hassan (1977-), Abdus Salam
(1971-) and a host of others.
Though Abdus Shakoor Shah is slightly older than the other artists of this decade, he
became the focus of close attention from the nineties. He has been engaged in
experimentation in various styles and media from the seventies, although slightly
irregularly. This experimentation brought success to his art practice a bit late and in an
unexpected way. He avoided the formal dissection of modernism and represented the
simple narration of folk art and folk verses in a visually aesthetic way. The
Mymensingh Geetika attracted him immensely and its characters and text became
elements of his painting. His picture plane is created through extremely stylized
figures and animals, flat application of bright primary colors, use of text and repetition
of ornamental designs which creates a folk ambience and attraction (pl. 1.46).
The endangered existence of minority groups and the people belonging to small ethnic
groups are not well represented in our art. There are quite a few artists belonging to
minority communities, but from the ethnic groups, Kanak Chanpa is probably the first fig. 1.41 Kanak Chanpa
notable artist to enter the mainstream art. The simple charm of tribal life has always Chakma, Vibration of
attracted our artists and many of them from Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin to the young Bell, oil, 1998
artists have painted on this subject. However, it
was always the narration of tribal life and nature
or the physical beauty of tribal women seen
through the romantic eyes of a stranger coming
from the city. It can be said that the internal
conflicts and sorrows within the inner being of
tribal people were somewhat manifested for the
first time in Kanak Chanpa’s paintings. The
conventional method of painting and the
romanticism of perception have influenced her
artworks as well. However, sometimes the hilly
atmosphere and many things associated with the

70 ART AND CRAFTS


people of that region is being manifested in Kanak Chanpa’s paintings with a different
implication which hopefully will diversify and enrich our art world in the future
through closer observation and representation (fig. 1.41).
Mahbubur Rahman is a leading artist among those who have created an alternate and
influential style in the art world of Bangladesh after being inspired by the
international trends during the nineties. Though he first appeared mainly as an
influential sculptor, eventually he was able to establish himself as one of the major
and talented artists of the nineties in the world of painting and installation. The
painter Mahbubur Rahman is a detached illustrator of the tormented and destructive
form of the contemporary world. Though the human figure is prominent in his
canvas, the outlines are shifting, repeated, breaking down to create beast like shapes.
Through the various agitatedly vibrating forms, scribbles and application of nervous
colors, his paintings are identifiably different in character (pl. 1.47). In recent times,
Mahbub is more engaged in installation and performance rather than painting and
sculpture, and in collective art endeavors along with younger artists. It may be said
that Mahbubur Rahman is one of the most powerful artists in the limited world of
installation in Bangladesh. In his installations, his chief concern is the representation
of the cruel social reality of contemporary times and his performances are the
symbolic representations of current circumstances.
Tayeba Begum Lipi emerged as an artist conscious of the entity of woman. Gradually
she moved towards mixed and installation art. Above and beyond the collective crisis
of woman, she has kept on representing the vulnerability of her existence as a woman
in various ways. Thus, her figure and her face keep on appearing in her work; through
fig. 1.42 Tayeba Begum these, she represents the state of the secluded woman individual in purdah within our
Lipi, My Childhood-2, society. In installation works, Lipi expands the boundaries of her contemplation and
oil, 2003
uses suggestive metaphors indicating the overall inconsistencies of society. The
artist’s movement between various media and
her skills in art are beyond question. Tayeba
Begum Lipi has become a most forceful
representative of the young generation artists
through her alternate artworks (fig. 1.42).
The main subject of the artworks of the woman
artists in Bangladesh is naturally the position
against discrimination towards woman.
Sulekha Chaudhury’s paintings express that
position in almost straightforward language.
Her painting is primarily the depiction of
suffering and loneliness of woman within
domestic life rather than in society. As a
metaphor, the equivalence of clothes hanging
from strings or on hangers to the distressed life

PAINTING 71


of woman is quite direct and clear. Along with that, Sulekha uses many objects of day-
to-day life as the symbolic attachments to her message– such as the apple, cockroach,
sandal, doll, scar or wound etc. All of these assist in expressing the helplessness of
woman’s existence within the wounded reality of life (pl. 1.48).
Tasadduk Hossain Dulu’s world is a bit different. Although protest is the key element
in the art endeavors of the young generation, Dulu draws attention through the
distinctiveness of his perception. The object of this distinctiveness is identifying the
ingredients of art within the ordinary objects from the surroundings of everyday life
and the attempt to suggest some greater truth through them. The various amusing
range of human expressions become subjects of interest just as a clip, water mug,
lingerie or water tap. Through an outward humor, it is as if Dulu expresses our
inconsistent way of life (pl. 1.49).
The youngest artist who seems to have earned enough distinctiveness to be mentioned
in this discussion of contemporary times is Ronni Ahmmed. His main world of ideas
is determined by the influence of Surrealism. He creates a scene steeped in mystery by
bringing together strange and grotesque creatures and environment from a world of
fantasy which is beyond the experience of reality; this may be the image of some
thought from the depths of consciousness. However, he also thinks about creating
monumental paintings that would search for the mystery of life (pl. 1.50). Thus, we
get from a young artist like him a thoughtful huge scroll painting– Noah’s Arc. This
may be termed as one of the notable endeavors among the artistic activities in
contemporary Bangladesh.
Many of the artists among those who have engaged in creating art from the nineties
and onwards, and whose names we have mentioned at the beginning, are making
known their competence and potential in various media and method. It is very much
possible that the shape of art in Bangladesh in the next few decades will flourish in
their hands.
Conclusion
The contemporary art of Bangladesh has evolved and advanced in many diverse media
and styles in the course of six decades of history. In an extremely poverty struck
country and within an environment of a huge uneducated population, this journey of
the fine arts has naturally been impeded time and again. Artists have had to practice
art amidst extremely adverse circumstances engulfed by the lack of minimum
availability of materials and institutional facilities, uncertainty of employment and
limitation in earning a living. Along with the practice of art, the artist had to struggle
against the indifferent and often hostile social atmosphere. The artist has also had to
take part in the struggle of the people against violation of political, economical and
cultural rights; they have had to leave their paintbrushes and pick up weapons in the
struggle for national freedom. Apart from political instability and economic
uncertainty that is characteristic of third world countries, the cultural workers of our
country had to fight against the Pakistani colonialist policy of suppression for twenty-

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

PAINTING 73


the country through completely private and collective efforts, a few state and
institutional structures have developed, national and international exhibitions are
taking place regularly. Quite a few galleries have already been established privately,
the exhibition and patronization of art is continuously on the rise– these are all
positive efforts. The energy and diversity in the overall context of art has increased
manifold compared to earlier times and a significant number of painters and
sculptors have emerged. The diversity in medium and material of art and the
tendency to practice various styles has increased greatly in comparison to the past,
the tendency to experiment and to accept the context of our country is gradually
beginning to be imbued within young artists through various encouraging effort. In
the field of sculpture and printmaking, the desire to create has overcome the shortage
of materials and is being expressed in many ways, especially substantial effort and
activity is observed in the case of sculpture despite lack of institutional support and
favorable circumstances.
Our cultural tradition has an admirable heritage compared to the general identity of
Bangladesh in the world map as a country afflicted by poverty and crises. The artists
working in various media and cultural workers of this country are carrying out the
responsibility to keep this honor continuing. It can be said without doubt that fine
artists are playing a visible and leading role in the contemporary world of cultural
activities in this country.

Translated by Jalaluddin Mohammad Baybers, student BBA, IBA, University of Dhaka



Notes and References
1. Asok Bhattacharya, Banglar Chitrakala, (Kolkata 1994), 189-214.
2. Niharranjan Roy, Bangalir Itihas-Adiparba, (Kolkata 1993), 329.
3. Dr. Nazimuddin Ahmed, ‘The Political History of Early Bengal’, (ed.) John Sandy, Discover the
Monuments of Bangladesh, (Dhaka 1984), 23.
4. Robert Skelton, ‘Bengal, The Historical Background’, Arts of Bengal, The Heritage of Bangladesh and
Eastern India, in Robert Skelton and Mark Francis (ed.), (London 1979), 20.
5. Andrew Topsfield, ‘Painting’, Arts of Bengal, Ibid., 34.
6. Op.cit., Asok Bhattacharya, 13.
7. Ibid., 14.
8. Asok Datta, “Earliest Evidence of Painting in Bengal”, Indian Museum Bulletin (1988 & 1989)
Combined Issue, (Kolkata 1990), 11.
9. Ibid., 12.
10. Sarasi Kumar Saraswati, Palayuger Chitrakala, (Kolkata 1978), 129.
11. C. Siva-Ramamurti, Indian Painting, (New Delhi 1980), 83.
12. Jayanta Chakravarti, “Indigenous Tradition of Paintings in Bengal”, Indian Museum Bulletin, op.cit., 14.
13. Op.cit., Asok Bhattacharya, 41.
14. A.B.M Husain, Islamic Chitrakala, (Dhaka 2004), 157.
15. Ibid., 167.
16. R. Chaterjee, “Non-Indigenous Sources of Paintings in Bengal”, Indian Museum Bulletin (Combined
Issue), (Calcutta 1990), 28.

74 ART AND CRAFTS


17. Toby Falk and M. Archer, Indian Miniatures In The India Office Library, (London 1959), 192.
18. Percy Brown, Indian Paintings under the Mughals, (New Delhi 1929), 175.
19. Sovon Som, Chitrabhabon, (Kolkata, 1991), 232.
20. Mildred and W.G. Archer, Indian Paintings for the British, 1770-1880, (London 1955), 20.
21. K.K. Ganguli, ‘Paintings of Murshidabad’, in Victoria Memorial Diamond Jubilee Volume, 1921-1981,
(ed.) Hiren Chakrabarti, (Calcutta 1981), 41.
22. Partha Mitter, Indian Art, (Oxford 2001), 172.
23. M. Archer, ‘British Painters of the Indian Scene’ in Hiren Chakrabarti (ed) European Artists and India
1700-1900, (Kolkata 1987),1.
24. Pradyot Guha, Company Amoley Bideshi Chitrakar, (Calcutta 1978), 1-95, Asok Bhattacharya,
op.cit., 60-78.
25. Hiren Chakrabarti, Victoria Memorial Hall Diamond Jubilee Souvenir, (Calcutta 1989), 47-48.
26. Partha Mitter, Art And Nationalism In Colonial India 1850-1922, (Cambridge 1994), 1-12 and 340-350.
27. Asok Bhattacharya, op.cit., 97-104.
28. Sreepantha, Bat-tala, (Kolkata 1997), 73-91.
29. Partha Mitter, op.cit., (Cambridge 1994), 17-21, 75 and 110.
30. Sovon Som, Shilpashiksha O Ouponibeshik Bharat, (Calcutta 1998), 210-214
31. Asok Bhattacharya, op.cit., 189-214.
32. Ibid., 215-234.
33. Najma Khan Majlis, Banglapedia CD, (Dhaka 2004).
34. Nazrul Islam, Zainul Abedin, in Md. Sirajul Islam (ed.), (Dhaka 1997), 17-21.
35. Borhanuddin Khan Jahangir, Chitrashilp: Bangladesher, (Dhaka 1974); Moinuddin Khaled,
Bangladesher Chitrashilpa, (Dhaka 2000); Syed Azizul Huq, Quamrul Hassan Jibon O Karma, (Dhaka
1998); Mahmud Al Zaman, Safiuddin Ahmed, (Dhaka 2002), Sadeq Khan, S.M.Sultan, (Dhaka 2003);
Syed Manzoorul Islam, Mohammad Kibria, (Dhaka 2004); Osman Jamal, Aminul Islam, (Dhaka 2004);
Abul Mansur, Rashid Choudhury (Dhaka 2003); Hasnat Abdul Hye, Murtaja Baseer, (Dhaka 2004),
Mofidul Hoque, Qayyum Chowdhury, (Dhaka 2003); Nazrul Islam, Abdur Razzaque, (Dhaka 2003),
Anisuzzaman, Debdas Chakraborty, (Dhaka 2003); Mahmud Al Zaman, Kazi Abdul Baset, (Dhaka
2004) and personal discussions with artists.

PAINTING 75


pl. 1.1 (top) Company
Style, Dhaka, 19 th
Century
pl. 1.2 (bottom left)
Elokeshi meets the
Mahant, Kalighat pata,
c.1875

pl. 1.3 (bottom right)
Hemendranath
Majumdar, Ekti Narir
Pratikriti (portrait of a
woman), oil on board,
1930s

76 ART AND CRAFTS


pl. 1.4 (top) Jamini
Prakash Gangooly,
Evening, oil, 1910

pl. 1.5 (bottom left)
Abanindranath Tagore,
Bharat Mata,
watercolor, 1905

pl. 1.6 (bottom right)
Nandalal Bose, Mother,
and Child, Haripura
poster, tempera, 1937

PAINTING 77











































pl. 1.7 (top left)
Gaganendranath Tagore,
City at Night

pl. 1.8 (top right)
Jamini Ray, Dhol Badak

pl. 1.9 (bottom left)
Rabindranath Tagore

pl. 1.10 (bottom right)
Benode Behari
Mukherjee, Goat under
Tree, watercolor on
paper, c 1940

78 ART AND CRAFTS






































pl. 1.11 (top left)
Ramkinkar Baij,
Binodini, watercolor,
1948

pl. 1.12 (top right)
Zainul Abedin, Mother
of Painya, gouache,
1953

pl. 1.13 (bottom left)
Anwarul Huq, Man with
an Umbrella, oil on
board
pl. 1.14 (bottom right)
Quamrul Hassan, Three
Women, oil on canvas,
1983

PAINTING 79













































pl. 1.15 (top left)
Debdas Chakraborty,
Rain, oil on canvas,
1994

pl. 1.16 (top right) Kazi
Abdul Baset, Woman
Carrying Pitcher, oil on
canvas, 1996
pl. 1.17 (bottom) Syed
Jahangir, Torchlight
Procession, oil on
canvas, 1987

80 ART AND CRAFTS


pl. 1.18 (top left)
Shamsul Islam Nizami,
Composition, oil on
canvas, 1995
pl. 1.19 (top right) Abu
Taher, Composition, oil
on canvas, 1994

pl. 1.20 (bottom left)
Samarjit Roy
Choudhury, Fishing Net,
watercolor, 1995
pl. 1.21 (bottom right)
Hashem Khan,
Landscape, oil on
canvas, 1999

PAINTING 81














































pl. 1.22 (top left)
Mansur ul Karim,
Source-1, oil on canvas,
1995

pl. 1.23 (top right)
Chandra Shekhar Dey,
The Joy of Life, enamel
paint on canvas, 1994

pl. 1.24 (bottom) Kazi
Ghiyasuddin, Sound of
Life, oil on canvas, 2002

82 ART AND CRAFTS













































pl. 1.25 (top left)
Swapan Choudhury,
Untitled, oil on canvas,
1984

pl. 1.26 (top right)
KMA Quayyum,
Pressure, oil on canvas,
1999
pl. 1.27 (bottom)
Shahabuddin Ahmed,
Freedom Fighters, oil
on canvas, 2000

PAINTING 83















































pl. 1.28 (top left)
Farida Zaman, Flower-
1, oil on canvas, 2002

pl. 1.29 (top right)
Ranjit Das, Philosopher,
oil on canvas, 1994
pl. 1.30 (bottom)
Mohammad Eunus,
Untitled, oil on canvas,
2000

84 ART AND CRAFTS


pl. 1.31 (top) Ruhul
Amin Kajol, Song of
Loneliness, acrylic on
canvas, 1995
pl. 1.32 (bottom left)
Jamal Ahmed, Face of
Young Girl, acrylic on
paper, 2001

pl. 1.33 (bottom right)
Tarun Ghosh, Behula
Kahini-9, oil on canvas,
1997

PAINTING 85


pl. 1.34 (top) G.S.
Kabir, Inside Story-2, oil
on paper, 2002

pl. 1.35 (bottom left)
Hashi Chakraborty,
Salvation, oil on canvas,
2002

pl. 1.36 (bottom right)
Dhali Al Mamoon,
Images Reconsidered-7,
oil on canvas, 1998

86 ART AND CRAFTS


















































pl. 1.37 (top) Shishir
Bhattacharjee, Come
and See the Game,
mixed media on canvas,
1996
pl. 1.38 (bottom) Nisar
Hossain, Ghatak 71
(Killer 71), enamel color
on rexin, 2003

PAINTING 87













































pl. 1.39 (top left)
Nazlee Laila Mansur,
Louis Kahn`s Dream
(girl), acrylic on canvas,
2002

pl. 1.40 (top right) Kazi
Rakib, Osaka, atercolor
on paper, 1991
pl. 1.41 (bottom)
Sheikh Afzal,
Childhood, oil on
canvas, 1999

88 ART AND CRAFTS





















































pl. 1.42 (top) Niloofar
Chaman, Untitled,
acrylic, 2000
pl. 1.43 (bottom)
Tajuddin Ahmed,
Composition-1, oil on
paper, 2002

PAINTING 89







































pl. 1.44 (top left)
Sanjib Datta, Clowning
the Gods, oil, 1998

pl. 1.45 (top right)
Khalid Mahmood
Mithu, Power of Black,
oil on canvas, 1998

pl. 1.46 (bottom left)
Abdus Shakoor Shah,
Kamala, watercolor,
2002
pl. 1.47 (bottom right)
Mahbubur Rahman, Self
Study-3, oil on canvas,
2001

90 ART AND CRAFTS











































pl. 1.48 (top left)
Sulekha Chaudhury, My
Time-22, acrylic on
canvas, 2005

pl. 1.49 (top right)
Tasadduk Hossain Dulu,
Agonies, mixed media
on canvas, 2002

pl. 1.50. (bottom)
Ronni Ahmmed,
Meeting of the
Multinationals, acrylic,
2006

2



SCULPTURE
a. Ancient Period
Claudine Bautze-Picron

Introduction
Bengal is a vast area which includes Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal.
It is located at the fringe of the Indian subcontinent and constitutes a transitory
region between the subcontinent and peninsular Southeast Asia. This geographical
position would also prove to be nodal in the organization of trade with insular
Southeast Asia and the diffusion of Buddhism and Brahmanism towards the South
Sea from the regions of Chandraketugarh/Tamluk and Comilla/Chittagong, whereas
North Bengal would hold a fundamental position in channeling the Buddhist path
towards the Himalayas. Considering the artistic production of the region in remote
times implies setting aside the contemporary borders: two large cultural and political
areas were indeed centered, the first one, on North Bengal, initially around
Mahasthan, then shifting in the 8th c. towards Paharpur, then further westwards and
spreading till recovering the entire or large parts of the contemporary districts of
Bogra, Dinajpur, and Rajshahi (Rajshahi division) on the Bangladeshi side, West
Dinajpur and Malda (West Bengal) on the Indian side, and the second one, on
Southeast Bengal where it spread from the region of Dhaka to Comilla, including
early sites on the Lalmai-Mainamati ridge and the later capital of Vikramapura and
its area – thus parts of the Chittagong and Dhaka divisions (Comilla, Munshiganj
and Dhaka districts essentially).
The stylistic development of the sculpture in the region is extremely intricate due to
the fact that various media were used, which relate, each of them, to specific ritualistic
functions or to particular location within the architectural structure. Due to the rich
production of images, it is, however, possible to draw the main lines of the stylistic
development, enhancing regional particularities, and encompassing stone as well as
terracotta, cast images, and wood carvings.
In the particular context of the religious sculpture in the Delta till c. 1200 AD, style
reflects the consensus reached in the representation of particular topics (iconography)
through specific physical forms (real or fantastic) and a particular choice of motifs
(ornamentation). As such, it is similar to an ever-changing river: iconographic topics

92 ART AND CRAFTS


are innumerable, the proportions of the physical forms are variable, the choice of
motifs changes, and the treatment of those motifs undergoes deep modifications.
Iconography is, moreover, not the only way to look at religious images; it does
definitely help in identifying, but identification alone is not sufficient in explaining –
or trying to explain – the reasons behind specific forms. In short, an image of any god
can be, at the level of iconography, identical in the 8th and in the 12th c. However, the
artists of the 8th and of 12th c. imbued their images with a different perception of the
nature of the deity. Within a sculpture, it is not only the central deity who is the object
of the worship, but the complete composition which has for function to illustrate the
divine nature. Therefore, a proper iconological study should also involve stylistic
considerations since the forms of the motifs, as much as these motifs, create a very
specific impact on the mind of the viewer.
Images having been produced within the context of the Buddhist monastery and
Brahmanical temple, it would appear that these institutions could be made responsible
for the style and its variations. Nonetheless, other criteria should be taken into
consideration; as a matter of fact, the high concentration of artistic remains in rather
well defined regions coincides with the existence of political centers in those regions.
In addition to being a major Buddhist settlement where more than fifty Buddhist
monuments had been built from the 7th c. and onwards, the Lalmai-Mainamati ridge,
in Comilla district, was located within the country of Samatata, or Pattikera as the
region seems also to have been known from the 8th c. Also known as Devaparvata, the
hill was probably never retained as one of the political capitals of the Khadgas and
Candras. But, the Khadgas, with their capital moving within the region, and the
1
Candras, with their capital located at Vikramapura, probably viewed the site as a
divine hill, hence its name “Mountain of the Gods”; perhaps related to the royal power,
the hill might have been the place where rituals could have taken place at the time of
enthronement. Vikramapura, in ancient Vabga, located in Munshiganj district, south
2
of Dhaka, was retained as capital by the Candras, the Varmans and the Senas; Varendra
in North Bengal was the home-land of the Palas. The map, moreover, shows how the
Lalmai-Mainamati ridge was located on the road coming from the West, and going
southwards to Chittagong and Myanmar whereas Vikramapura’s region is positioned
at the confluence of the Padma (Ganga) and Meghna.
Varendra spread practically along the left bank of Ganga before the river enters the
Delta, and was limited in the East by the Brahmaputra; while being on the most-
eastern part of the Indian Peninsula, it opens the way towards Peninsular Southeast
Asia and China, as well as to Tibet and south-Himalayan states. It is thus likely that
these were regions very actively involved in trading, which might account for the
material richness which the abundant artistic production lets surmise. Political power
has permanently undergone deep modification, borders of states changed practically
permanently, some dynasties ruled over centuries, some only a few decades. The
3
political power, i.e. the rulers, has been but only loosely related, and this in an indirect

SCULPTURE 93


way, to the artistic production: strictly speaking, we only know of one image actually
donated by a member of a royal family, i.e. the now lost “Sarvani” offered by
Prabhavati, wife of Devakhadga, in the latter half of the 7th c. The king did not exert
4
his patronage at this level but in supervising the donation of land or revenue from land
for the upkeep of the religious institution.
The artistic production basically results from the association of three categories of
individuals, i.e. the donor, financing the production – usually, but not always, a
member of the lay society –, the religious, monk or priest – representing the institution
to which the image could be presented and possessing the iconographic knowledge –,
and the artist whose work is unfortunately too often disregarded although he occupies
the nodal position in the production of the images, being responsible for the proper
rendering of the iconography, the quality of the carving and the aesthetic achievement.
The Brahmanical temple and the Buddhist monastery exemplified two radically
different perceptions of the place of man within the society, and of what the society
should or could be. This context of opposition must have become very acute during
the mediaeval period and found its most evident expression in the artistic production.
Although its position within the society got more and more limited, the Buddhist
monastery betrays a very dynamic creativity; images which are then manufactured
often reproduce extremely complicated iconographies, particularly when cast. The
representations of Bodhisattvas are to be understood as positioned within a mandala
which is referred to through the presence of the five Buddhas of space carved in the
upper part of the sculpture. Mandala were also illustrated either through a group of
small independent cast images or through three-dimensional compositions (fig. 2.17).
The concept of the mandala turns out to be fundamental because it coincides with the
conquest of the universe which Buddhism was trying to achieve at a spiritual level but
within the limit of the monastery whereas Brahmanism was gaining the upper hand
within the society.
Cosmology did not only creep into Buddhist art, but is also present in the composition
of Brahmanical images. Thus, images of Surya and of Visnu from Southeast Bengal
were often, in the 11th & 12th c. images of the cosmos: tiny images of the god himself
or of series of gods are distributed on the back-slab (figs. 2.10, 2.11). Such images
evoke simultaneously an impression of peace, calm and power because the eye
perceives them comprehensively. On the contrary, those integrating the animals that
are symbolic of the elements reflect the dynamics of the composition which is itself
symbolic of the creativity borne out by the god, but which also imposes a more
intricate reading.
Such spiritual and social choices found their path not only in the subject matters to be
depicted but also in the way of rendering them. The most commonly met with image
all through Bengal from the 8th to the early 13th c. shows the deity carved in high-
relief in front of a back-slab which is carved in low-relief: the opposition reflects the
complementary nature of the relationship between the religious institution (be it

94 ART AND CRAFTS


Buddhist or Brahmanical) and the society or the world around it. The deity
is at the very center of the image, occupies most of the space (height, width
and depth); it is showing itself and can be attended by characters who are
smaller. The tiny human worshippers – who are also those who financed the
production of the images – are located at the lowest, i.e. least pure, level of
the composition, being at the threshold with the earth. Through their
attitude – kneeling, turned towards the deity above them – they draw the
world to which they belong into the image, unless this world is to be
understood as being a prolongation of the divine nature. Such a perception
is made visible at the level of the back-slab which integrates a symbolic
representation of the four elements arising out of the deity; through them,
the world comes to realization. Thus the image functions as a dynamic
place of exchange between the divine nature and the humans (or the
religious institution and the lay society), at the same time that it reflects the
divine nature and its creativity which is the place where gods can be
properly experienced and which is also the place where the humans can
locate themselves.
Clay has been the most commonly used medium in Bengal where religious
monuments have been traditionally built in bricks till a recent period. It has
been used till today for the production of items of daily use, but from an
early period, around the 2nd c. BC already, it is evident that a distinction
must have been introduced among craftsmen, some specializing in the production of
fig. 2.25 Door-frame, iconic and narrative images found till the Mediaeval period. The Brahmanical
detail, Dinajpur District, narrative images of the Gupta period were most probably distributed within niches on
National Museum of the outer walls of the temple, leading the way to the architectural ornamentation
Bangladesh, Dhaka
noticed from the 8th c. and onwards on the walls of four-sided Buddhist temples.
© Joachim K. Bautze From the 8th till the end of the 12th c., the development of Brahmanical orthodoxy led
to the massive introduction of stone images, of various sizes, in North as well as, in
the 11th and 12th c., Southeast Bengal; rarer are the images collected in West and
South Bengal. Those images were worshipped within the precinct of temples, in open
spaces, below trees, or in private shrines, as it is still the case nowadays. The artistic
development finds its origins in the art of Magadha, and the stylistic and iconographic
evolution of the two countries, Bengal and Bihar, will remain parallel and interfere in
each other all through the centuries. However, from the 9th c. and onwards – more
particularly in the 11th & 12th c., North Bengal becomes a Brahmanical stronghold
exerting its influence towards Southeast Bengal, i.e. the region of Vikramapura, south
of Dhaka; and beyond the borders, Bengali Brahmins will hold major position in the
royal priesthood of Burma and Cambodia.
Simultaneously, images were cast in various metals. The loss to history is here
extremely heavy since disregarded images were simply melted down and their metal
used for items of daily use. But what has been recovered proves how accomplished the

SCULPTURE 95


artists were. Large lots of mainly Buddhist images, dating back to the 8th-9th c. were
collected in Mainamati and the region; other ones, of a later period were found at
Mahasthan, or, isolated, all through the Delta; similarly, major groups of Brahmanical
icons of the 11th-12th c. were collected in North and West Bengal.
A further category of images should be mentioned: sculptors were also actively
engaged in the architectural ornamentation. Monuments built in bricks prior to 1200
have unfortunately either disappeared or heavily suffered from damages done by
history. Beside the terracotta plaques distributed in niches in their lower level, they
must have been richly decorated with stuccoes, such as those which survived at the
Siddheshvara temple, Bahulara in Bankura district (West Bengal, India). Their art was
5
also used in the carving of architectural elements in stone such as porticoes, door-
6
frames, pillars, and gargoyles which were mostly discovered in North Bengal. It
survived within the construction of Muslim monuments in the 13th c., applying, as a
matter of fact, very elegantly the proscription of images: figurative images, though
preserving their outlines, were transformed into flowers incorporated within
arabesques (fig. 2.25). 7
The Buddhist community was present in the different regions of the Delta, and it is
highly possible that the diffusion of Buddhism (and Jainism) at an early period opened
the ways for the development of Brahmanical religious orthodoxy from the Gupta
period and onwards. Buddhist settlements became also after the 8th c. places of
passage for monks travelling from Burma to Magadha, or between Burma and the
northern region, Nepal and Tibet. The distribution of artistic material is highly uneven:
late, i.e. 11th-12th c., stone images were found in North Bengal, isolated images in
stone were recovered around or in the major settlements of Mahasthan or Mainamati.
Earlier large cast images, often damaged, were similarly recovered at Paharpur and
Mainamati; they were aimed at being worshiped within a sanctuary whereas numerous
small images (but not as numerous as those discovered in Bihar) had been probably
produced for use by monks in their private worship and meditation.
Stone images
a. North Bengal
Being at the extreme eastern limit of the Indian subcontinent, Bengal was apparently
only slowly integrated within the cultural Brahmanical mainstream. Although
scattered information bears on the presence of Jainism and Buddhism in North Bengal
before the Christian era, no artistic evidence of their presence has been so far collected
in the region; in the Kushan and Gupta periods, stone images were apparently
8
imported from North Indian sites: a Kushan broken image of the Buddha was collected
at Chandraketugarh, two 5th c. images of the Buddha were imported from Sarnath to
Mahasthangarh. It is possibly also within the frame of Buddhism that the presence of
9
a broken Skanda image at Mahasthangarh can be explained, dating back to the Kushan
or even early Gupta period perhaps. Some depictions of Visnu and Surya collected in
10

96 ART AND CRAFTS


North Bengal, belong to this rather long period (from 2nd to 5th c.), but
they remain isolated testimonies and reproduce iconographic and stylistic
models known from the region of Mathura. And thus, it is only from the
11
6th-7th c. that a continuous development can be followed as far as
Buddhist and Brahmanical images cast or carved in stone or terracotta are
concerned: Jain images remain very rare.
The first consistent group of images are those inserted in the base of the
Paharpur monument, probably dating back to the 8th c. (fig. 2.1) That
12
iconography has its impact on stylistic issues in imposing rules of
composition and specific treatments of the physical features is clearly
made visible here. Standing in a frontal position, the god occupies the
largest part of the space; the head is square, the eyes are narrow with lids
heavily incised and slope upwards towards the temples, eye-brows are
strongly marked, the lips are thick and slightly smiling; the shoulders are
broad, the limbs heavy but the shapes of the body follow a harmonious
line, with a rather narrow waist. Practically no movement is shown; only
the required gestures of hands or a slight bending of the body introduce a
slight tension within this static composition. The god wears a short or
longer skirt, rarely a shawl. This rather ascetic and strict perception of the
god disappears, however, behind the extreme care paid to the illustration
of ornaments, i.e. the head-dress and the jewelry, which allow
recognizing the divine nature illustrated by those
sculptures. Carved in high relief on a flat and unadorned
background which is practically completely covered by
them, these images breathe peace and power;
emerging from the dark niche, their body would have
been lightly touched by the light were they not have
been at a certain moment buried underground. The
frontal view, the utmost attention paid to the
ornamentation, the opposition between background
and image are permanent elements of the icon which
will be preserved through the centuries.
fig. 2.1 Vayu, Paharpur Parallel to this group, a series of narrative relieves
Museum was also distributed in the basement of the
monument, most of them related to the saga of
© Joachim K. Bautze
Krsna (fig. 2.3). As expected from this type of
sculpture, they display much more freedom in their
composition, the god is not necessarily shown
fig. 2.2 Visnu, Paharpur
Museum frontally, but can be profiled and is always engaged
in an action. Certain panels retain compositional
© Joachim K. Bautze
features noticed above, but in most of them, the

SCULPTURE 97


narration of the tale proves to be more important than the isolated depiction of the
hero. Artists illustrated here in stone what was already since the 5th c. commonly
reproduced in terra-cotta, but whereas terra-cotta allows to higher achievements in
narrative depiction, stone is harder to work, this might explain the less elegant and
perhaps naïve, if not coarse carving of some panels.
This group testifies to the existence of a major atelier in the area, even it was made up
only for the time of fulfilling a specific contract. A small group of images (pl. 2.4) found
in the area of Mahasthangarh displays similar features, i.e. heavy features, square face,
narrow waist. However, much of the back-slab is not covered by the deity, and the
remaining surface is carved with iconographic motifs which function to reflect the
power of creation of the deity, or illustrate features of his/her divine nature. The image
of the deity is shown in high relief whereas the ornamentation on the back-slab is always
carved in low relief, constituting an elaborate scenery from where the deity emerges; as
a matter of fact, such a composition was preserved till the end of the 12th c.
The development remained indeed continuous in North Bengal where the production
became one of the most important in North India, beside the fact that numerous major
and minor iconographic types were illustrated: this situation reflects the importance of
Brahmanical orthodoxy in the region, from where it would exert its influence in
Southeast Bengal. Images of the 9th & 10th c. still illustrate the fullness of the body
shown at Paharpur (fig. 2.2). Some of these images present such strong similarities
with the production of Magadha, particularly of Nalanda, that we cannot exclude the
possibility that either images or artists traveled all the way from Bihar to North fig. 2.3 (bottom) Krsna
Bengal. The forms are generous and well proportioned, the lines are soft and elegant, fighting Kexi, Paharpur
the deities are shown in high relief on a plain back-slab, their head surrounded by a Museum
nimbus whereas flames run along the edge of the back-slab; although they display an © Joachim K. Bautze
extreme restraint in attitude, the smile which hovers on their lips reflects
their awareness of the devotees’presence and makes them accessible – the
gods do not speak, but smile. The human worshippers are depicted at the
lowest level of the image, on the front surface of the enlarged pedestal
which sustains the gods; this pedestal includes also the vehicle of the god
and the image of the lotus, image of the purity and of the water out of
which all creation arose. The jewelry tends to be more sophisticated,
carefully detailed; an elaborate pendant hangs between the legs, attached
to the main girdle; girdles fall in concentric bows on the upper part of the
legs; a triangular floweret adorns the armlet; a string of pearls runs
parallel to the main necklace, etc. An image which should be the perfect
reflection of the divine nature emerges.
In the second half of the 10th and in the 11th c. this attempt at reaching
the most perfect illustration of the divine nature reaches its full
development (fig. 2.4). The divine image still stands in a frontal position
on the vertical axis of the sculpture; forms are not as round as earlier but


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