‘Inward Gaze’: Traversing new path in art

Pursuing art is a solemn perseverance. It is a form of meditative worship that ultimately leads one to the realm of spirituality. Talented artist Syeda Asma Akber, who has been intimately involved with creating art since 2016, showed a strong passion for the genre during the time of the pandemic.

Taking acrylic paint as her forte, she relentlessly explored the realm of art and captured the beauty of nature, portraying the multifarious aspects of human feelings, fantasies, love, dreams, and the spirits of spring. With her unique style of colour pallet, paintbrush, and spatula, she got immersed in the ecstasy of vitality, liveliness, and eternity in her paintings, created through the process of pasting vibrant yet balanced colours layer after layer. 

It is surprising to think how much creative spirit she holds even in the dark days of Covid-19 when people are panicked with the fear of death, and then an artist is singing the colourful songs of life on canvas. The colour of nature gracefully serenades the forms, shapes and motifs in her search for solitude, introspection and contemplation. 

With over 40 paintings, Syeda Asma Akber's first solo exhibition, titled "Inward Gaze", is underway at Gallery Chitrak in Dhanmondi. Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury, renowned poet and the adviser to the prime minister, inaugurated the event on February 24. Internationally famous artist Monirul Islam and Professor Nisar Hossain, also dean of the Faculty of Fine Art, University of Dhaka, attended the occasion as special guests, while eminent artist and Emeritus Professor Rafiqun Nabi presided over the opening ceremony.        

The exhibition is a pleasant treat for art lovers. Traversing a new path in art, the artist blossoms in the bliss of cosmic beauty in her search for inner peace, tranquillity and a divine connection with her works depicted in geometric forms and shapes, impressionable brush strokes and lurid colours. Her canvases are bountiful in realistic, semi-abstract, and abstract images. Thick and shimmering colours create volume and perspective in a poetic way.

Though Asma Akber is a great fan of Vincent van Gogh and Claude Monet, several of her works uncannily speak of the styles of Mark Rothko and Moniul Islam. "Moonlit Journey" is one of her displayed works that delineates a magical moonlit sky reflecting on the midnight sea. A balanced use of vibrant hues is noticeable in the work, setting down the tone of the spring and the hills. 

It is very difficult to label her works as abstract expressionism; most of her works carry different forms and objects. Many abstract, and semi-abstract forms are also visible in some of her paintings. 

The exhibition, running from 11am to 8pm daily, will conclude on March 10.