BSA confers Sultan Swarna Padak to Farida Zaman

Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) has conferred the Sultan Swarna Padak 2020 to renowned artist Dr Farida Zaman at Sultan Mancha, Narail, on January 27. State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Swapan Bhattacharjee handed over the award to the artist for her outstanding contributions to Bangladeshi art. 

The Sultan Swarna Padak named after legendary artist SM Sultan, is a prestigious award conferred every year on a renowned Bangladeshi artist by BSA on the birth anniversary of master artist SM Sultan. Md Kabirul Haque, MP, was present as an honourable guest, among others, at the event.

 “I express my gratitude to the BSA authorities for giving me the award,” said Dr Farida Zaman. “SM Sultan is a pioneering artist of our country. He is revered amongst the local artists of Narail. They are doing a great job in projecting Sultan’s works, along with communicating his philosophy to the masses.”  

Dr Farida Zaman depicts the riverine life of Bangladesh in her works. Fish, fishing nets, cats, birds and women are recurring subjects in her paintings. Her series, Sufia, captures the bucolic and beguiling expressions of rural women, while her line drawings are inspired by Bangladeshi folk elements. 

Dr Farida Zaman is an honorary professor of the Department of Drawing and Painting, Faculty of Fine Art, University of Dhaka. She graduated from the same department in 1974 and received her master’s in Fine Arts in 1978 from Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, India. Dr Zaman received her doctoral degree in 1995 from Visva-Bharati University in Santiniketan, India. In a career spanning over five decades, she has exhibited her works in eight solo shows and more than 100 group exhibitions at home and abroad.