Open places for fine arts

Artist Hossain Muhammad Farook has been using an innovative technique to teach fine arts to his students at different outdoor spots on the bank of Brahmaputra river.

Farook, director of "Light and Shade Academy of Fine Arts" has been running his academy at the town's Udayan High School for one -and- a half-years.

Farook, born in the remote char village of Baghaduba in 1974 in Mymensingh sadar upazila, did his Honours and Masters in Fine Arts from Faculty of Fine Arts of Dhaka University.

Talking to the Daily Star, Farook said, as he hails from Mymensingh, he wants to do something for Mymensingh's children.

"As I am from the Northern side of Brahmaputra river, I strongly believe that the country's riverine beauty is a great inspiration for artists," said Farook.

World famous maestro Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin from Mymensingh did many sketches from Brahmaputra's banks and the artist always harks back to the priceless impact of Brahmaputra on his  brilliant career, said Farook.

"So I frequently visit different spots beside the river to unleash the talents of my students.

"You don't need to hunt for subjects for your paintings. There is an abundance of subjects alongside the river and you just need to capture them on your paper," said the artist.

The eye-catching beauty of Brahmaputra enriched with “kashphool”, natural flowers and different types of crops and vegetables round the year is an ideal setting for the fine arts.

Students also work on their art at the academy campus. Currently the academy has 70 students in two batches- from class one to eight and nine to masters.

Tanzina Tanim, an Honours student, taking art lessons for a year at the academy said that the experience of the outdoors is very enriching.

Songjukta Chakraborty, a second year intermediate student of the same academy said "When we are lost in the deep green of nature, there is nothing more enjoyable than the fine arts."