‘Prachya and Dualmonism’ –Tamima Sultana interprets Selim Al Deen’s play

One of the most powerful playwrights of Bangladesh, Salim Al Deen's (18 August 1949 - 14 January 2008) "Prachya" is a masterpiece, performed by the skillful actors of Dhaka theatre. Salim Al Deen's plays often depict the deeper aspects of human lives through villagers which makes them intriguing to the urban population whereas the naïve rural population can hardly grasp the concepts. Inspired by his "Prachya", Tamima Sultana has created a series of magnificent paintings.

The inaugural ceremony of "Prachya and Dualmonism", artist Tamima Sultana's second solo art exhibition took place at Kala Kendra, Lalmatia on April 28, 2023. The event was graced by the presence of Artist Abul Barq Alvi, and Prof. Nisar Hossain. The exhibition was curated by film and drama director Nasiruddin Yousuff Bacchu, and veteran actor and director Afzal Hossain. After the short speeches from the artist and the guests, the exhibition was underway.

The interior of Kala Kendra holds Tamima's surreal artworks. Being asked about 'dualmonism', Tamima said that it is the art philosophy of Salim Al Deen where an idea or a concept can be expressed through several art forms; just like Dhaka Theater actors performed "Prachya" brilliantly, she attempted to depict the play through her paintings. Every room is labelled as a scene from the play. The first room is filled with forms and shapes of women, flowers, cats, birds, and various cultural rituals and celebrations. Moving to the second chunk of space is filled with a series of ornamental lettering which together make a meaningful line. 

The next scene features the most dominating space of the exhibit –a huge painting of an intimidating snake. Being the largest piece, this hangs from the wall and reaches the floor, the surface of which is covered by whole rice grains. This along with other two paintings contain lines from the play. The next scenes hold paintings of snakes, women, and flowers and foliage. The most prominent characteristic of Tamima's artworks feature flowers, women, and texts chaotically held together and yet shows a perfect harmony. 

The artist has mentioned her affinity towards rural elements of Bangladesh. The colours used in her pieces are bold and yet the saturation level is comfortable for the eyes. Her detailed lines, strokes, and letterings, along with the emotions she successfully delivered us make the exhibition worthy of a visit. Kala Kendra will run this exhibition till May 3, 2023.

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