Dramatic lines of indelible impact

Talking about the introduction of canvas and washes on paperwork as his works for the first time, seen at the ongoing exhibition at Goethe Institut, Rashid Amin says, "I've worked in the print media for years. Now I'd like the viewers to have a sample of my work in watercolour and acrylic, which I've always done side by side with my prints. Also, I wanted a variation in my work as it gets monotonous presenting the same type of work year after year." Touching on what medium he prefers, Amin says, "I like working in all the three mediums although my attraction to prints is of a longer nature. I want to excel in other avenues other than prints, and carry on my experimentation in them."

Asked to talk about his penchant for print making, Amin says, "In all the three mediums you see the predominance of black with muted inclusion of russets oranges and red in the present exhibition of 'Happenings'. When I studied at Beijing from 1987 to 1992, I was naturally influenced by the Chinese style where a lot of black calligraphy and the use of black in the watercolour is well-known. The impact of this style comes back to my work repeatedly as a consequence of the lasting impressions that the black lines have had on my work. Undoubtedly, the play of lines is of consequence the world over but it is most marked in China. I feel most comfortable with prints as I've been doing that since 1987. However, painting is something where you have a closer contact with your paper or your canvas and the struggle that an artist might be going through is easier to manipulate.

"Print is an indirect media, and in etching, which I do, you make plates, cover it with zinc and make etchings on it, put a layer on it, remove some portions from it, dip it in acid, and then get your colour through the use of different plates. I feel that through painting I can expose myself even further and give the viewer a greater variety of work. As a print maker there are many problems such as the limitation of the supply of a special type of handmade paper, good ink which has to be exported. If one does use alternatives the result are naturally not satisfactory. Again, when one does not have one's own printing machine, one has to go a begging. Nowadays people are making machines locally and renting them out. At present, I'm affiliated with a Fine Arts Department of a private university, UODA (University of Development Alternative), where a print making facilities are available. However, I don't believe that one should identify and artist as a print maker or painter necessarily as artists like Picasso, Matisse and Marc Chagall have done both printing and painting. The acrylic and water media that I've used this time project my style and them as before.

"Touching on the subjects of printmakers at home that I admire, Bangladesh too there are artists like my guru, Mohammed Kibria, who has taken pains to teach me about the sensitivity of colours and lines, and others like Monirul Islam in Spain and Kalidas Karmakar whose works I admire. Rafiqun Nabi's woodwork works are also undoubtedly superb. Again, there is Abdus Satter. There is also young Rafi Haque, who has made a name for himself quite early. They have all inspired me."

Asked to comment on his recent work, Amin says, "My paintings reflect spontaneous emotions. Whatever is on my mind comes out spontaneously within the frames of my canvas or paper and thus becomes visible. Subjects like conflict, difficult times and also nature are constantly on my mind. They take on different shapes, which start arguing with each other right on my canvas. So, most of the time my artistic style expresses some sort of struggle of colour and brush against the canvas and paper. As long as I cannot see anything peaceful or soothing on the canvas, this fight continues. In this context, lines and forms play with colours and space."

He adds, "I want to provide contrasts. You will see that in all my backgrounds there are same pale colours which are juxtaposed against my strong lines. Some painters might want to create a pleasing surface. I tend to break the harmony of a soothing surface. With long strokes or with the touch of the brush I try out to bring out the innermost existence. At the same time there is a landscape type images and forms from nature created in this manner."

Rashid Amin, who has a BFA from Beijing, has had seven solo exhibitions including ones at Beijing and Hong Kong, and has taken part in over 15 group ventures.