A SAGA OF ETERNAL BENGAL

Art lovers will come across several beautiful acrylic paintings just entering into Zainul Gallery, Faculty of Fine Art (FFA) of University of Dhaka (DU). Renowned artist Balodeb Adhikary has portrayed the realistic works over the years to showcase the beautiful life of eternal Bengal together with the social harmony of affluent Bengal.

This is the 17th solo exhibition by Balodeb Adhikary, a disciple of legendary artist SM Sultan. The visitors at the exhibit will similarities in the way Sultan depicted traditional rural life, industrious farmers and their unending smile after a good harvest, the time-honoured cultural heritage of Bengal and the selfless heart to embrace people of all caste, creed and religion. 

Adhikary's has depicted colourful and oriental figures. Sultan brought the indomitable vigour of the Bengali farmers into limelight while Balodeb Adhikary has focused on the grace and simplicity of figures. Both the artists have a common ideology and deep homage to the people and conventional aspects of Bengal.

The elderly people, who have their roots and childhood days in rural Bangladesh, are bound to become nostalgic looking at the paintings by Adhikary. The artist has fantastically portrayed the process of making narkol naru (sweets made from coconut), dal bora (food made from pulse), taal pitha (cake made from palm juice), molasses from dates' juice, the musical gathering of bauls, the life of an artist, the water of Bengal, storing rice grain in gola, assembly of farmers, the sight of bathing by the Bengali women with jars and more.

The artist's depiction of “Paat-er Panchali”, delineating the entire process of separating golden fibre of jute, gives a complete picture of the monsoon crop. He has entitled a painting questioning “Jati Bolte Ki Bujhle” (“What did you understand by race?”) which evokes a Lalon song. He has sought the much-needed communal harmony in a painting where people from four major religious communities flying a kite that symbolises universal peace. “Resistance” is a title of one of his paintings that urge all to stand upright with the spirit of Liberation War and to resist all forms of divides and conflicts. “Independence and Post-Independent Bangladesh” is another painting that reminds us of the crisis-torn days of our glorious Liberation War, the killing of the Father of the Nation and the subsequent ill competition for grabbing state power and the present political scenario.

The exhibition, in association with The Daily Star, was inaugurated on January 8 by Liaquat ali Lucky, DG, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, as chief guest; noted art critic Moinuddin Khaled as special guest and presided over by Nisar Hossain, Dean, FFA, DU. The show, open from 11am to 8 pm daily, will conclude on January 14.