Distorted nature and sculptural figure of Jahangir
Dedicated artist Jahangir Hossain, an alumnus of the Faculty of Fine Art, University of Dhaka, would depict lots of realistic landscapes before. Gradually, he earned fame not only in our country but also abroad. He is well-known in the art scene as a good painter, who works with various experiments. Priority of drawing the greenery of the rural places of Bangladesh turned towards the urban images especially rickshaw and human figure. And gradually the nature, figure and urban images distorted in his works. He was once a realistic artist turned into a conceptual artist.
This is how artist Jahangir Hossain has changed his artistic pursuit. As a reward his solo exhibition was held in London. He exhibited his collection at Clifton Art Gallery in 2005. In 2011, his artworks were exhibited in Oxford with world famous artist and sculptor Henry Moore. It's a great achievement of a Bangladeshi artist.
Jahangir's painting reflects upon the challenges presented by modern society. His subjects rotate around man and nature entailing geometric forms and lines in subdued and ethereal colours. Traditional themes and rural scenes such as women fetching water with clothes painted in blue, red, yellow ochre, grey, umber and purple neat swirls of strokes or tending to cattle rickshaws in the old Dhaka are painted stylistically. As Hossain's primary aim is to translate emotions, the figures are stylistic rather than realistic. His works are suggestive of the human body.
The painter often portrays human forms in unusual ways. His prime aim is to highlight the movements of human body and to emphasise the inner struggle and torment of human beings. At times, his work has focused on twisted figures.
His preferred subjects include intimate relationships. The background of most of his compositions is occupied by delightful colours and soft tones. His paintings are oil and acrylic-based as he is comfortable with both media. Throughout his career, Jahangir has concentrated on a number of themes. Sometimes his mode of expression is considered to be figurative, expressionistic and at times he tinted light and forms through the approach of abstraction. He frequently portrays rural women, mother and child, urban architectural view, rickshaws, herd of cows, flower sellers and more.
Jahangir's works on display focus on the strength and power inherent in humans. His figures are bold and valiant. The artist has used space to interact with figures. The combination of composition, where one figure almost melts or dissolves into the other, expresses how dependent we are on one another for love and affection.
In “Sad women” we see the emotion of a daughter or a widow or a mother. Painter Jahangir Hossain is recognised mainly for his conceptual works. He has closely observed many aspects of urban life. The changing cityscape, complexity of metropolitan life, socio-economic structure, common people and their way of life tremendously impact his work. All these elements are meticulously portrayed in his works. He portrays buildings, but does not forget to depict the rickshaw, an inseparable object of our city life. His constant search for novel and refreshing themes has assisted him in acquiring firm footing in the Dhaka art circuit. This painter creates his emotion of art on canvas with oil, acrylic, watercolour and mixed media.
Jahangir's paintings have been exhibited in various cities of Bangladesh as well as in United Kingdom, South Africa, Zimbabwe, UAE, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Nepal, Thailand and India.
The writer is an artist, poet and critic.
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