Today (March 9) marks the 83rd birth anniversary of eminent artist and graphic designer Qayyum Chowdhury. To celebrate his life and works, Bengal Foundation has arranged two separate programmes. Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts in Dhanmondi and Kali O Kalam jointly present, “Qayyum Chowdhury: Selected illustrations from Kali O Kalam” -- an exhibition of original illustrations commissioned by the monthly of arts and letters, while Bengal Art Lounge in Gulshan will host “Qayyum Chowdhury” -- Selected Paintings and Drawings from the Bengal Foundation Collection”, offering an opportunity for tart lovers to rediscover the late artist's significant works.

A combined inaugural ceremony of both the exhibits will take place at 6pm today at Bengal Gallery. Professor Emeritus Anisuzzaman and artists Rafiqun Nabi and Samarjit Roy Chowdhury will jointly inaugurate the memorial programmes. Abul Hasnat, Editor of Kali O Kalam and the late artist's son Moinul Islam Zaber will speak on the occasion. 

Born in Feni in 1932, Chowdhury graduated in 1954 from the Government Institute of Arts, now Faculty of Fine Arts (FFA) of University of Dhaka (DU). Mentored by the master painter Zainul Abedin, the artist pursued his passion for painting during the most exciting stages of the country's art movement in the '50s.

It was at the FFA of DU that Chowdhury spent the most significant period of his life, creating awe-inspiring artworks blending the country's folk elements with a modern flavour on canvas. It was also the place where his lifelong endeavour of projecting nature and rural Bangladesh inspired hundreds of his students.

Chowdhury won innumerable awards including the Imperial Court Prize, Shilpakala Academy Award, Leipzig Book Fair Prize for Book Illustration, the Ekushey Padak, the 6th Bangabandhu Award, the Sultan Padak and Swadhinata Padak.