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A Tribute

SM Sultan’s works transcend national boundaries

Afsar Ahmed
SM Sultan's works transcend national boundaries. Today his works are exhibited in London’s Leicester Gallery along with paintings of Picasso, Matisse and Salvador Dali and in many famousgalleriesaroundtheworld. Likewise, his paintings won acclaim in American, British, French and other foreign magazines and journals. However, there are still several untold anecdotes on this cnigmaticartist
Enam Ahmed Chowdhury, the lone speaker, dwelt on some interesting facets of the legendary Sultan, on the occasion of his 10th death anniversary on October 10, at the Shilpakala Academy. The programme was presided over by Ahmed Nazir, DG Shilpakala Academy. Enam Ahmed Chowdhury recalled that he first met SM Sultan in 1954. Enam said, 'Sultan was a magnificent conversationalist. He could speak fluent English and his remarkable Urdu accent tn particular, attracted many people.’ However, Enam was quite surprised by Sultan’s rich intellectual capability despite his lack of formal education. The late artist had a quick reply: 'Who said that I don't have any formal education? Rather, I've had the privilege to leant in the subcontinent's most famous institution that is the Suhrawardy house inKaradii.'
Enam stated that, Sultan had a great kinship with the Suhrawardy family, especially with Shahed Suhrawardy which apparently . opened new vistas in learning. However, his formal education began at Collegiate School, which helcftinl933.
On leaving the portals of the • Calcutta Art School, Sultan embarked on his journey as a promising painter under the patronage of Maharaja of Kapurthala at Simla, Malik Feroze Khan Noon at Lahore and Miss Fatima linnah at Karachi. Going to Lahore in 1948, he enjoyed the dose friendship of leading artists like Shaker All, Chughtai, Nagi and ShcikhAhmad.
* Apart from being a painter, Sultan played the flute with expertise. For many he was a Baul, a mystical artist ora very simple man with affection for all livingbeings.
'His yearning for truth and beauty crossed the narrow divides and thus his love for mankind as well as animals made him a great man,'said Enam.
The artist remained single, but was always intrigued by women. As he once said to Enam, ’If 1 can't discover the beauty of women, how can) be inspired?'
Sultan lived an individualistic life. He cared little for the trappings ofmoney.statusorsccurity. Hekept no track of his paintings, sometimes leaving them unattended. He never attached price tags to his work, or organised exhibitions except when others persuaded him to.
He painted his land and his people from a unique perspective. In large canvases he depicted the villagers of Bengal as fanners and boarmcn with bulging knotting muscles, since they had to survive centuries of poverty, oppression
and natural calamities.
'He also drew many famous landscapes of Kashmir and rural Bengal inhiseariylifc.However,the mid- 1950sarctreatedaslhepinna-cleofthe artist's Iife,' Enam added.
Sultan established the Fine Art Institute at Narail in 1969 and another institute Charupeet at Jessore in 1973. But he never preserved his art works or tlte winds of praise that he received from the different artists and critics around the world. 'The voice of Asia as the British art magazine described Sulian; the artworks and the facts of his life should be immediately preserved,' said Enam. 'If the restoration of his art-works is not possible; at least we can dwell on his words-- Spread your love', concluded Enam.