IF 'Impression 17' is anything to go by then there is great cause for optimism on the Bangladeshi art scene. It offers a rare opportunity to view some impressive work from a selection of emerging artists in well-organised surroundings. One hopes the people of Dhaka will take full advantage of this chance.

As the German ambassador, Dietrich Andreas, observes in his introduction to the exhibition, "the appreciation for so many artists from Bangladeshi is a recognition of the outstanding achievements of Bangladeshi modern art". Impression 17 will hopefully give healthy exposure to a group of, as yet unknown, painters and sculptors.

"It is difficult to arrange young artists here in Dhaka", admits one of the participants. To try and improve this situation, all the artists involved in this exhibition took part in a five-day workshop entitled 'SelfManagement for the Artist'.

Organised by Ilse Hilpert, in collaboration with the German Embassy, the workshop was designed to make Bangladeshi artists aware of the importance of public relations in what they are doing. In the words of Ilse Hilpert herself, "they must not only have the talent and skills" but also, "maintain a continuous presence in the art market". In the catalogue, Thomas Lenferding (First Secretary, Culture at the German Embassy), expands on this theme: "In spite of all the skills required to be a true artist, creating a long-term strategy is also of the essence".

The result of this five-day seminar is the group exhibition 'Impression 17'. Though all the pieces were completed before the workshop, they have been arranged and coordinated using the skills acquired by the participants. The artists involved were from different fields, many of them completing MFA courses at Dhaka University although others are freelance artists and art teachers. The mé lange of styles and backgrounds however, means that there is no set theme to the exhibition. A total of 34 works occupy two rooms at Gallery21, 765 Satmasjid Road. Going from a classic watercolor bazaar scenes and swirling black ink motifs, right through to plaster face sculptures and moody lithographs, there is a remarkable diversity in so few works. There are many interesting uses of color and a pleasing range of textures. Far from being a disadvantage, the small number of paintings ensures that there is a feeling of quality over quantity.

The presentation of the exhibition against uncluttered white walls does much to enhance the value of the paintings though, regrettably, not all the lights available were switched on. As the workshop made clear to the artists, the organisation of the paintings and their surroundings plays a large part in improving the visual experience for the public and potential clients. They have obviously learnt their lesson and both the content and the execution of 'Impression 17' should receive well deserved praise.

"We are still finding our style", comments Shamsul Alam Azad. Nevertheless, judging by this, they have all reached adequate technical maturity. Of particular interest were Abdus Sobahan Hira's sensitive and original reflections on Life and Time and Safin Omar's gentle and precise watercolours. The larger of Hasanur Rahman's two sculptures, aptly entitled 'Face in Problem,' grabs the