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From Darkness into Light

Biplab's solo painting exhibition

Nivedita Rattz von Frentz
per's "Canvas" page, the stint ending upon its removal from circulation late last year. Despite these commitments, Biplab managed to paint every day. "I could be anywhere; I just felt the need to fulfil the canvas's demands. 1 am unable to be artificial, projecting a true representation of my inner self". Keeping in line with the proverb, Biplab goes with the flow, wherever tills may lead him.
With the buffer of a number of group shows behind him, Biplab's first solo exhibition "Epitaph to My Soul" features paintings done over the last couple of years. Reflecting his new style, it is so titled as "each passing incident results in the death of a piece of my soul". Excited that Art & Soul Gallery wished to promote him, the exhibition was attended by many prominent artists of Dhaka's art circle. "It went way beyond my expectations. I finally started believing in the public's response to the quality of my work.” While realistic art impinges on his style, he is slightly removed from it. preferring abstract expression. The overriding themes of his current show are his
relationship with urban life and the force of movement tlirough colour contrasts. He recalls the wet earth at his birthplace near the Sunderbans, compared to the totally different "harder landscape of Khulna". The multiple faces appearing in many paintings represent a person's thoughts as they change depending on the situation.
To enrich his life experiences, Biplab enjoys visiting unusual places within the country delving into people's lives and customs. His travels have taken him deep into villages, encountering interesting people en route, journeys that naturally influence his work.
Biplab wishes to embark on an environmental installation art project and continue his "narrative art; to impart a message through my paintings".
The exhibition at the Radius Centre, Bays Galleria, 57 Gulshan Avenue is on until March 15,2008.
Parts of his village, Hurka in Bagerhat, were i only recently electrified, but young artist, *Biplab Biprodas, seems to have had an illuminated childhood. He remembers starting early, filling any blank paper he could lay his hands on with sketches, and helping out with decorations during festivals and school plays. Despite its remoteness, the village received the Indian High Commission’s Bharat Bichitra newsletter; Biplab pored over and was fascinated by the artwork within. During his formative years, he was often compared unfavourably with an older village artist, driving him to participate in local an competitions, repeatedly winning the top award. Thriving on peer recognition, he basked in the compliments proffered by regional student artists.
In conjunction with art, such was his thirst for literary knowledge, Biplab readily absorbed (and later read himself) stories from both eastern and western classics told by his sister-in-law, Mira Mandal. Broadening his horizons, he also composed poetry, learning different styles; he continues indulging this passion, publishing occasionr ally in local newspapers.
Dissuaded by his school teachers against following a career in art, Biplab nevertheless graduated from Khulna Art College. Meeting students from all over the country, his time there marked a radical change in his philosophy. Closely knitting art with literature, his penchant for poetry very much alive, he edited the college's poetry newsletter, Onno (Another).
Moving to Dhaka in 1998, Biplab joined Dressy Dale, a Bangladeshi fashion chain, as a designer. He also edited Ajker Kagoj newspa-
The writer is a freelance contributor.