Beauty and art Iles In the perception of the viewer. Just as there arc definite geometrical shapes and colours, there also are abstract art forms where the shapes do not conform lo the regular geometrical patterns and the colours are not the regular red. yellow or blue. Ilowever there Is beauty In such abstract forms too. As a matter of fact abstract art forms leave a great deal to ones Imagination and the same piece may be Interpreted In a wide variety of ways by a wide variety of people. Such an abstract art exhibition of stone ware is being held al the Zainul Art Gallery' al the Institute of Fine Arts. The exhibition displays pieces of art work by Hallmul Islam. The exhibition was inaugurated by artist Rafuqun Nabi yesterday afternoon at 5:30p.m. Artist Mahmudul Huq was the Honourable guest.

There were various art pieces of a variety of shapes and sizes. There were flower vases, pitchers, dishes, sea shells, conch shells, human busts, and many more. All of these were made of ceramic or stones. Some of the dishes bad been curiously filled with a semi transparent coloured solid which gave the impression that they were partially filled with water or any other liquid. The shells and conches came in a wide variety of Intricate colours and patterns. The were busts of all shapes and sizes. Most of the displayed pieces are for sale except for a few large busts. The prices of the items have a wide range. Some cost as low as Tk. 700 while some are as high asTk. 40,000.

Hallmul Islam has done his Masters In Fine Arts from the

Institute of Fine Arts. University of Dhaka. This is his second solo exhibition his previous one been held at Ihe same venue in 1998. Islam has many more group exhibitions to his credit. These include partici-pation in the 5th and 6th Asian Biennales, Golden Jubilee Art Exliibltlonof the Institute of Fine Arts, and the 10th, 11th. 12th and 13th Young Artist's Art Exhibition. Dhaka. He has received may awards in recognition of his work. Among these are the experimental best Award in Ceramics in the annual Art Exhibition in the Institute of Fine arts in 1997. Hallmul Islam has collections in die National Museum. Dhaka too.

The exhibition, titled Nature of Ceramics' will remain open from 2p.m. to 8 p.m. every day up to 16th October.