SHAWON Akand's solo exhibition titled 'What is Reality?' is a breath of fresh air in the local art scene. His art expresses the social and political issues of the day. Shawon explores the perception of art and identity of the artist in contemporary society. Through the exhibition he expresses his doubts over the elitist notions of art that gives individuals the illusion of 'freedom of art' while in fact entrapping them in a vast web of simulated reality.

Earlier last week, the exhibition started at Drik Gallery with a brief opening act by the group 'Joler Gaan'.

In the works on display Shawon

has carefully avoided the problematisation of contemporary art, as he believes, “Art is an aesthetic expression of all varied concepts belonging to people living in different places”. Instead of the familiar trends of abstract or postmodern images, Shawon has gone for human beings and their activities as the subject and looked for the answers to the critical and obtrusive questions related to art. The emphasis is more on ideas than on the creation of unique images. Contemporary social and political contexts have a dominating presence in paintings like Machine or Massacre, Urban Actors on the Stage, Because of Columbus, Disciples of Michel Foucault, It is Politics, An Epic of Progress,

Corporate Colleagues and many others on display. Utilising familiar subjects, he deals with the conventional concepts, structures and activities of the human beings in his works. He also uses photographs in some paintings which open up the possibility of many interpretations, but which generally reflect on concerns and fantasies of a post-modern world, most commonly the relationship between humans, suburban environments and nature.

Though some of the images are metaphorical, not much hard work is needed to break through the metaphors and grasp the thought behind the image. The viewer no longer gets lost in total confusion between art and reality.

Through the exhibition Shawon explores “the profound relation of power structure to art". Aesthetics and political expression are inextricably linked in his art production.