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Women to the Forefront

Exhibition "Shreyoshi" at Gallery Twenty One

Fayza Haq
Since 1997, Gallery Twenty One's mission has been to promote Bangladeshi art, artists and culture both within and outside the country. The gallery has taken Bangladeshi artists to exhibit in the US, Germany Japan, curated the works of many contemporary Bangladeshi master painters and sculptors, while extending support to talented young artists who have emerged success stories. Gallery Twenty One recently set out to revive the country's heritage, traditional performing arts and music.
The gallery's latest exhibition, "Shreyoshi" was inaugurated recently by Minister of Cultural Affairs, Asadudazzaman Noor and Dr. Mahbubur Rahman Chowdhury, chairman, Bangladesh Eye Hospital. The exhibition ended earlier this month.
Among the 11 artists whose works were on display is Fareha Zeba. Her work "Serenity", acrylic on canvas, is a delicate presentation of a woman with cropped hair and orange blouse in a contemplative mood, as she takes a respite from work. Fareha is greatly inspired by Frida Kahlo, whom she admires intensely for her struggle to establish herself in the world of art.
Then there is Farida Zaman's work. The artist has won many hearts with her canvases of fisherwomen and her plight. Despite many personal upheavals in her life, she has emerged triumphant, as made evident by her last solo at Bengal Gallery. Her “Fishing Net" (2010), acrylicon canvas, has her trademark colours of ochre, burnt sienna and umber. Painting fish, sea and river birds are her forte.
Kanak Chanpa Chakma is one of the most successful artists of our time. Her paintings sell even before they are hung in the exhibition halls. In "Happiness in the Green" (2014), acrylic on canvas, her brush goes on to delineate two bejewelled beauties as they exchange confidences. Behind one is a basket for "jhoom chash" (cultivation of the hillocks) along with caskets of wine or water on the river bank.
Naima Hoque, presented "Mood" (2014). This is acrylic in canvas, and this painter who also writes and illustrates books, presents the seated curvaceous figure of a woman. Tree trunks are brought in or suggested. Naima is famous for painting women with swift strokes and her village women are easy on the eye. Her colours have been minimal as also her lines. She remains an extremely popular professor of the Department of Fine Arts, DU.
Rebeka Sultana with her "Unknown Love", acrylic on canvas, presented an extravaganza of designs of the lotus flower. These are seen as pale blue and gold in colour. Rebeka remains a young but active member of Shako with her images of images of girls with elongated faces and limbs.
Shulekha Chaudhury's “Maa" (2014) is a symbolic work. Here she revealed the head of a woman on grass holding a white flower which in turn leads on to a
crescent moon.
Kuhu, who is well known for the rickshaw art of her college days and the sex workers whom she works with, has "Untitled", textile art silk paper reactive dyes. She has a square of pale blue outlined with burnt sienna. Kuhu has studied art in France and Bangladesh. Her work lends variety to Shako's present collection. She is a reputed fashion designer as well.
A brass entree by Farzana Islam Milky was another departure from the mainstream paintings of the other members of Shako. This metal work contains women looking away from a fence. The entire composition is unusual as is the medium.
As for the three guest artists, Mini Karim, Samina Nafies and Shameem Subrana, one is acquainted with their expertise. Mini Karim, who has exhibited at Dhaka Art Centre, created "Harmony", acrylic on canvas. One imagines a woman relaxing in the garden, seeing her creation -with a Japanese-type fence leading on to her.
Samina Nafies had a still life with a coloured village hand fan, an "ek tara,” a brass slight and cymbals. The background is a brilliant vermilion red merged with burnt sienna and flecked with black.
Shameem Subrana offers "Autumn Shower" 2013, acrylic on canvas. Here, one encounters a tiny paper boat of one's childhood floating among leaves, seen on a red evening.