“I paint to relax”

“Stop the Killing of Rohingyas”, painted on iPad.

The artistic flipside of an economist  

Eminent economist Dr. Wahiduddin Mahmud has numerous professional accolades to his name, both at national and international levels. He was in charge of the ministry of Finance and Planning during the 1996 caretaker government tenure, is a co-founding chairman of apex microcredit organisation PKSF, a member of International Growth Centre based in London School of Economics, the UN Committee for Development Policy and has held positions at Oxford and Cambridge Universities. Beyond all these heavy professional commitments, however, Wahiduddin Mahmud is an amateur painter in his free time. One of his recent works, a powerful portrait of a young Rohingya girl clutching barbed wire, is a testament to his artistic self. The Daily Star spoke to the veteran economist about his hobby.

What sparked your interest in painting?

Wahiduddin Mahmud: I am not an artist; I paint to relax. I have been drawing free-hand for a long time. I have never learned the art, but I can draw sketches proportionately. Recently, my daughter installed some painting apps on my iPad, and I started experimenting with them. I have 20-25 works that you can find on my Facebook page.

Tell us a little about your recent work, “Stop the Killing of Rohingyas”.

Wahiduddin Mahmud: I saw a photo on The Daily Star's front page. I usually draw just to pass time, but this one I made with a purpose because it is an issue that has concerned me. Eventually I made a poster out of it. After I made this one, a few artist friends of mine have told me that I have some artistic talent.

Painting digitally is not a very common practice yet in Bangladesh. How did you get into it?

Wahiduddin Mahmud: In Bangladesh, digital art is not popular, and maybe many people think that it's not real art. But be it visual art or music, you cannot overlook technology. Digital artwork is accepted internationally. Influential British artist David Hockney has exhibited artworks that he made on his iPad, and has published a book on it.

Aside from this, what kind of things do you like to paint?

Wahiduddin Mahmud: My work is not very realistic. Before the late 19th century, art was mostly realistic. After the impressionist movement, contemporary artists believe that art must have reality mixed with imagination, so there is scope for interpretation. I like to paint subjects with an impressionistic mindset. And my paintings always have a song line, maybe a Rabindra Sangeet, as its caption. One recent work I did was a small boat on a vast river, and I was thinking about Rabindranath's death, and while making it I felt really sad. So that is how I like to express my feelings.