Mini Karim's exhibition of 42 paintings at Dhaka Arts Centre spans a period of three years. Mini worked in oil and acrylic at her first exhibition in London, where she visits her sister twice a year. For a change, in 1989 she had an oil and water-colour exhibition at the Sonargaon Gallery. She later held the "Under the Rainbow” series in 2010 at the Goethe Institute. Here, the artist sought to show how women were treated as second-class citizens and how they were on par with men given the right opportunities, in oil, acrylic and watercolour media.

At the Dhaka Art Centre, her exhibition was inaugurated by Rafiqun Nabi, with the Minister for Tourism and Aviation, Muhammad Faruk Khan. The display drew quite a few viewers, especially on the opening day, At the acrylic painting "The Face”, she has used the distorted face of an athlete who comes from the Hill Tracts. The face is in yellow-ochre, while the backdrop is a variation of royal blue.

"Townscape" reveals the pain of existing in the congested city with all its dirt and noise pollution. Here, says the artist, there is no ambiance, to stay, with all of one's energy and imagination.

In "Innocent Face", Mini says that the visage depicts the pristine culture of Naarayanganj, Rangamati, Ghagrachori, Shatkhira and Jessore. These are the woman football players - under 14 or under 17, whom she works with; and with whom she flies abroad — representing the Bangladeshi football team. Mini says that the players are disciplined, energetic and wonderful to deal with. They are unassuming, and seldom break rules, says the artist, who is also a keen sportswoman,

Mini says that the magnetic face of the pale woman with the thick lower lips, and hair put up is meant to be one of her women football players. So is the striding woman in green with bangles and earrings.

The bars of the wooden line symbolise our lacklustre and insipid life in the various metropolis of Bangladesh.

In "History", the artist traces our progress in culture and science since ancient times, when bisons and reindeers were made on the wall by the cave painters, the colours they used were raw, says the artist. Mini says she wishes her colours to be basic and bright too. Talking about young and prom-

ising painters, she says that they use many media and happen to be successful.

The artist's creation in bright ruby red, in geometrical shapes is ecstatic. Her "Deer", done this year, has elegant animals with long, delicate horns. Mini's "Cyclone", done in 2013, is a burst of colours - in turquoise blue, vermilion and splashes of green and chrome yellow. The painter's "Landscape" in acrylic on canvas is a depiction of the forests, hills, and homes of the Hill Tracts-which fascinate the artist to no end.

The exhibition ends On today.