‘Guru-Shishya-Shishya-Guru 2O20’ revisits oriental aesthetics

Shilpacharya Nandalal by Malay Bala. (R) Zahangir Alom’s Rhapsody-1. Photo: Rashed Shumon

The second edition of the group painting exhibition, Guru-Shishya-Shishya-Guru (Preceptor-Disciple: Disciple-Preceptor), was inaugurated at Zainul Gallery of the Faculty of Fine Art (FFA), University of Dhaka (DU), recently. The exhibition is organised by Oriental Painting Studio Bangladesh.

Director General of Bengal Foundation Luva Nahid Choudhury was present as the chief guest at the opening ceremony, along with Abinta Kabir Foundation Chairperson Nilu Rowshan Murshed, Founder and ED of HerStory Foundation Zareen Mahmud Hosein and Director of Hamid Fabrics Limited Nusrat Mahmud as special guests. Presided over by Professor Nisar Hossain, Dean, FFA, DU, the exhibition was inaugurated by renowned sculptor-painter Hamiduzzaman Khan. 

Luva Nahid Choudhury congratulated the artists. "The collaborative works that these artists have put up are noteworthy. The rigorous practice of one particular art form is rare in today's time," she said.

Renowned artist Malay Bala, along with the members of Oriental Painting Studio Bangladesh, have played a crucial role in nurturing the practices of oriental art. "There are various techniques involved in oriental painting, such as wash and tempera, which are losing their original forms. We are optimistic to see that these artists have adapted contemporary practices of oriental art, but have kept its classical forms intact as well," said Professor Nisar Hossain.

Oriental art, which is often interchangeably used with the terms Eastern and Asian art, refers to the historic and contemporary art originating from various Asian cultures, reflecting the society it originated from. Oriental Painting Studio Bangladesh aims to develop synergetic art practices among the practitioners. The studio not only offers a practice ground for the artists, but also a space to conduct art talks, workshops, awards, study circles and musical programmes. This year, the studio launched Oriental Publications as well.

The artists of the exhibition include Zahangir Alom, Amit Nandi and Malay Bala. Amirul Rajiv has also played an instrumental role in the selection and curation of the artworks. The exhibition features oriental paintings of classical and contemporary forms.

Earlier, the first part of the exhibition took place at Alliance Française de Dhaka in 2019. While Malay Bala and Zahangir Alom's works are brilliantly colourful, Amit Nandi takes a different route. "I wanted to go back to our roots. The simplistic concepts of Alpona and Pot Chitra have always intrigued me. My works are inspired from those early forms of art of this region," said Amit Nandi, pointing at his Saga of Mythical Heritage series. Malay Bala's Mukh Naki Mukhosh features six faces depicting different emotions. His tryptic series of Shilpacharya Nandalal, Buddha and Quamrul Hassan is also striking. Zahangir Alom's experiments with colours of nature are at play in non-figurative rhythms. From Jhinjhoti to Khamaj, Malhar and Vasant, his canvases are soaked in the colours of Indian classical music ragas, which are rotted in nature. The exhibition is a culmination of queries and observations of the socio, political and cultural concepts of our region. It will remain open to all every day from 10 am to 8 pm.