‘Imaginary of the Common: 50 years of Sultan’s Oeuvre’ opens at Bengal Shilpalay today

The exhibition, titled "Imaginary of the Common: 50 years of Sultan's Oeuvre", opens at Bengal Shilpalay's Quamrul Hassan Exhibition Hall in Dhanmondi today. It showcases the works of one of the most influential artists and early pioneers of modern art in Bangladesh.

Sheikh Mohammed Sultan (1923-1994) believed in an arcadia, where happiness and contentment reigned. In countless paintings, mostly oils, and some in striking watercolours, he painted the same sinewy human figures, symbolically representing the inner strength of the peasant folk, in an almost revered and illusory role.

Through oil paintings, charcoal drawings, watercolour paintings, photographs and memorabilia, as well as films, interviews and installations, the exhibition attempts to elucidate Sultan's life, the process of his artmaking, and the artist's poetic vision, thereby cementing his loyalty for his land and people and the ensuing emancipatory knowledge preserved for future generations. The exhibition includes key works, which are being publicly exhibited for the first time.

"Imaginary of the Common: 50 years of Sultan's Oeuvre" is open for spectators provided that they follow Covid-19 safety guidelines until December 4, 2021, from 3 pm to 8 pm (except on Sundays).