Laila Anjuman Ara and the joys of nature

If anyone wanted to relax and simply be with nature one had only to go to the “Joy of Nature” exhibit at Alliance Francaise de Dhaka (AFD). Laila Anjuman Ara, the artist whose works are on display till March 9, has given her works the harmony of French Impressionistic paintings. One did not get an oil colour effect as the canvases were in acrylic. However the soothing effect of Renoir, Manet and Monet were evident in the light and amazing colours.

 Laila says she is inspired by the colours of stalactites and stalagmites of the caves of Niagara Falls, and naturally the rivers, hills, and quaint houses in the area.

 The choice of the colours of the flowers remained balanced. Professor Abdus  Sattar from Dhaka University commenting on Laila's works said that they are reminders of the sun's rays that are difficult to capture but yet all around us. He complimented her on her “neat work, her pulsating vision and the contrast of light and shade.” He also drew parallels with Zainul Abedin's paintings who believed there was no substitute for nature, and who added and subtracted from nature to heighten the effect of his works.

For his part, Asad Chowdhury had words of praise for Laila's use of colours and lines. He spoke of how Oriental art originated in China, Korea and Japan. He also commented that the artist's works were like the French Impressionists, who were optimistic about the world.

Professor Abdus Satter from the Department of Oriental Art, Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka (FFA, DU); poet Asad Chowdhury, Farah Kabir, country director, ActionAid Bangladesh; Hassan Mahmood, cultural secretary of Goethe Institute were among the prominent guests  at the opening ceremony. AFD Director Bruno Plasse presided over the opening ceremony.

In the large crowd were also Maksudul Ahsan and Laila Sharmeen. Much to the delight of collectors, the paintings 
did not burn a hole in one's pocket.

The exhibition that opened on February 27 runs till March 9.