A printmaker of promise
Although Ashikur Rahman is young and new to the art scene, his solo exhibition at Dhaka Art Centre (DAC), which began on June 20, is promising. It is called “Spinning Tales of Shadows”. Abul Barq Alvi, Dean, Faculty of Fine Arts, Dhaka University says, “He has progressed much with dedication and sincerity. He works in every media of printmaking, but he is most interested in etching.” Rokeya Sultana, Chairman, Printmaking Faculty of Fine Arts, Dhaka University, says, “As a teacher of his MFA course, I found him remarkably attentive, which is praiseworthy.”
“Young Turja has sought to reflect memories of a carefree, unruly childhood. What he has tried to say with blurry shadows is nothing but the coexistence of a citizen in the midst of a socio-economic complexity prevailing through the decay of morality in our society. Turja has been successful in representing the psyche of the middle-class. He strives for a symbolic representation of a hidden meaning in his childhood memories. Turja's exhibition is indeed a reflection of the collective experience of the people living in a specific cultural context,” says Jafrin Gulshan in the brochure.
Ashikur's “Homeless”, etching aquatint (2013) is in sepia. The background is that of a brick wall. “Interruption”, etching aquatint, has two legs immersed in a game on tiles and what are visible, are two skipping legs and the shadow of the player.
The artist's “Sewing” has two withered hands, perhaps of his grandmother's, going about cutting and sewing. Behind the main image is texture work. “Tie Threads” etching, aquatint has the same woman at work. In between is the top and at the back are doodles. “Spinning Tales”, has two hands and the top, playing at spinning the top, and keeping it on the palm.
His “Inside a Trick-3”has a hand freeing three playing tops tied to threads. There are blue and red portions of circles at the ends of the paintings. In his landscapes, we find one done in pencil of a house, with trees and a pond in front. The dry point piece has trees, bushes and a man working in front of a house. In the woodcut we find tree trunks, trees and the front of a small thatched house.
The artist's still life in sepia (pencil) and black and white etching and aquatint reveal basket containers, drapery, bottles, fruit, wine glass, a wine bottle and some beakers. There is more of such work by the artist. This contains woodcut, dry point, lithograph, etching and aquatint. It has representations of a pineapple and pieces of apple, jars with berries, kettles and a jar with flowers and leaves in them. Ashikur's woodcut of “Shallow Simla” is fascinating. The attractive work is a combination of walls and roofs.
The exhibition closes on June 28.
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