Looking back at Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin’s enduring legacy

Zainul Abedin is considered to be the founding father of Bangladeshi modern art. He was honoured with the title, Shilpacharya, which translates to 'the master of art'. He made undeniable contributions to art creation and education in Bangladesh. The Faculty of Fine Art building in University of Dhaka is known to be named Shilpacharya Zainul Bhavan, in honour of him. On the occasion of the Shilpacharya's 106th birth anniversary (December 29, 2020), his youngest son, Engineer Mainul Abedin, shared anecdotes and memories of his father with The Daily Star.

 "My father was a very busy person, always immersed in his art and institutional responsibilities," shares Mainul Abedin. "He used to take us out on boat rides. He liked scenic beauty, and brought it to life on his canvas frequently. We would often wake up to ten to twelve new artworks by him in the morning, after an outing. It was astonishing!"

This sketch by Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin was recently auctioned to raise funds for Covid-19 relief.

Zainul Abedin was awarded the Rockefeller Foundation Travelling Fellowship in 1956 and visited several countries across the globe at the time. "I was only four years old then and I had the rare opportunity to visit my father in New York, along with my mother. I still remember bits and pieces of the journey," shares Mainul Abedin. "I visited several countries, including Belgium, France and Italy among others, with my father, very early on in my life."

Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin was the founding principal of the Government Institute of Arts and Crafts in 1948. We now know this institution as the Faculty of Fine Art, University of Dhaka — our very own Charukola. He also founded Bangladesh Arts & Crafts Foundation in Sonargaon, Narayanganj. He fought to uphold and preserve the rights of the rural craftsmen and their works, throughout his life.

According to his son, one of the greatest regrets of the maestro's life was not being able to accomplish all his envisioned goals related to arts and crafts.

"He had plans to create a 'Folk Village' on the premises of Bangladesh's Folk Art Museum, where local artisans and craftsmen from across the country could work and carry out research," says Mainul Abedin, reflecting on his father's hopes. "He envisioned a place where artisans could work on traditional creations with pottery, metal, silver and wood among many other mediums and forms of art. Though the museum was founded by his initiative in 1975, unfortunately, the 'Folk Village' concept never saw the light of day."

Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin immersed himself not only in artworks, but also in the art movement, education and preservation. More than sixty percent of the works in the Folk Art Museum were collected by the artist himself.

Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin (R) with a young Mainul Abedin. Photos: Courtesy of Mainul Abedin

Mainul Abedin believes that there is a reflection of Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin in all works of art in present Bangladesh. "The artists of our country are very progressive and talented. I expect them to reflect our country's heritage and roots in all kinds of work," he says.

Mainul Abedin also reflects on the lack of interest in the history and legacy of art among some students. "Several students come to study in Charukola, but many of them don't know about the contributions and works of the maestros in the field," he shares. "If they fail to know about the history of the art movement in Bangladesh, how can we expect the general public to know the true history?"

 "People must know about the roots of their country and heritage," Kohinoor Abedin, daughter-in-law of Zainul Abedin, shares, joining the conversation. "It is the young generation's responsibility to uphold and protect the cultural aspects of our country, along with keeping up with the pace of the changing times."

"I salute Zainul Abedin, not just as my father, but also as the Shilpacharya. Now, I realise what a great man he was, in every aspect of life," concludes Mainul Abedin.