Muhammed Aziz Khan buys Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin’s historic artwork on auction
An artist of exceptional talent and international repute, Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin played a pioneering role in the modern art movement in Bangladesh. By all accounts, the movement began with the setting up of the Government Institute of Arts and Crafts (now FFA, DU) in 1948 in Dhaka, of which he was the founding principal. His works are centered on the power of men and women who labour and struggle against all odds and realise their potential.
On an invitation from Arab League, Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin visited Palestinian camps in Syria, Lebanon, Egypt and Jordan in 1970 and made 60 to 70 paintings of the refugees there. Shilpacharya's youngest son, engineer Mainul Abedin, recently found several of those sketches from his father's sketchbook. He has donated an 8.5 x 4.5 inch sketch to the Coronafine Group of the Faculty of Fine Art (FFA), University of Dhaka (DU), to raise funds for the current pandemic. The historic 1970 artwork has been sold at an auction, for BDT 20 lakhs. It was collected at the highest price by eminent art collector and Chairman of Summit Group Muhammed Aziz Khan.
"I congratulate Muhammed Aziz Khan on behalf of our faculty, for joining us in this endeavour that inspired us to remain steadfast in the ideals of Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin and be involved in the service of humanity during this great calamity," said renowned artist Professor Nisar Hossain, Dean, FFA, DU. "We would like to express our sincere gratitude, respect and unconditional love to all members of the Shilpacharya's family for the noble initiative."
Eminent artists Rafiqun Nabi and Nisar Hossain, along with Professor Syed Azizul Huq and this correspondent appeared as guests during the registered bidding. The Shilpacharya's grandson-in-law Khondkar Zunaed Rabbani directed the programme where Engineer Mainul Abedin spoke on the artistic legacy of his father. The Daily Star, Protom Alo and Cholo Shobai aired the hour long programme live on Facebook.
Professor Nisar Hossain, along with Mainul Abedin and the teachers of the FFA, DU, were also involved in a project to provide PPE to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University and different medical colleges and hospitals across Bangladesh.
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