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'Abstract art didn't suit me'

FAYZA HAQ
KUHU stands out for her drawing among the flanks of Bangladeshi artists. She went to study in France after her bachelor's degree from the Fine Arts Institute. 'The most difficult part of being in France was the language. I enjoyed the practical part of it but had difficulty with the theory. I loved drawing and my teachers there stressed on the fact
that I should continue with it. I did move into painting but I came back to drawing again. My teacher Mme Cotelle encouraged me in particular to pursue drawing.
'When I returned, due to the pressure on theory, I had different influences at different times in my life. Shahabuddin's drawings, with their force and speed, appealed to me when he was a student, and I was studying too. Aminul Islam's work also inspired me greatly. Rafiqun Nabi's watercolours also inspired me. When it comes to abstract monochromatic composi-tions, I was always drawn to Mohammed Kibria, my graphic teacher. I've tried to go into landscape painting and abstract art but they didn't suit me.'
Kuhu's family gave their full support to her taking up art. Her mother was a painter, and the rest of the family considered it prestigious to be an artist. As a student she faced some problems finding models for her work but now people approach her themselves. As she draws on brown paper and matte paper, she has no difficulty in getting her materials.
Kuhu is best known for her paintings of burqa-clad women, which she has been doing for about 15 years. 'What fascinates me in doing the work in black and white is the intensity of the lines and also the expressiveness of the faces. There is apparently very little to draw but in actuality there are lots. The lines and monochromatic work can express so much and yet, in reality there is no line,' says Kuhu. When she chooses her models she looks for character. And through her lines she depicts the characters.
Asked why she has persisted with her figurative work while other artists have gone for semiabstractions and abstractions, Kuhu says that some abstracts appeal to her but not on the whole. 'I feel that there's enough distortion and I don't feel happy about breaking up forms or human figures.'
Talking about how she goes about her work, Kuhu says, 'I have my own studio in Gulshan and models come here from time to time. I try to capture the spirit of the person and the
moment through lines. I go in for black, red and white.'
Kuhu's first inspiration was Michaelangelo, 'undoubtedly a superb draftsman', as she puts it. Her other idol has been Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin. 'I can go over his work for hours together and not weary of it,' she says. Her teachers Mahbubul Amin, Rafiqun Nabi and Aminul Islam have been her mentors.
Dwelling on her fashion designing, Kuhu says that this is an extension of her artwork
as this requires a lot of drawing. There is a special style of doing fashion drawing. It occupies quite a bit of time as the work is slow and tedious involving the print making and colouring. One has to cater to clients and this can be demanding. Kuhu's fashion brand is Wearable Art.
Kuhu has participated in numerous group shows of fine arts and haute couture both at home and abroad. She has numerous solo exhibitions to her credit.