‘Realizing Divine Harmony’ through Oriental art

By Sourav Chowdhury

Oriental Painting Study Group's (OPSG) 9th Oriental Painting Exhibition titled, "Realizing Divine Harmony", jointly organised by Abinta Gallery of Fine Arts and OPSG, was inaugurated on March 12 at their premises in Uttar Badda, Dhaka.

The inaugural function was presided over by Nilu Rowshon Murshed, Chairperson of Abinta Gallery of Fine Arts. Prof Dr Abdus Satter, Prof Nisar Hossain, Dean, Faculty of Fine Art (FFA), University of Dhaka (DU), Prof Jamal Ahmed, Mikhail I Islam, Chief Advisor, OPSG, and Zareen Mahmud Hosein, Founder and ED of HerStory Foundation were present at the ceremony as special guests.

Three awarded artists, selected by the jury members, received crests, certificates, and prize money at the inaugural ceremony.

Sanjay Kumar Pramanik, a fine art student of Rajshahi University received the "Abinta Grand Prize" while Habiba Aslam, a fine art student at FFA, DU, and Purnima Aktar, an alumnus of FFA, DU, were honoured with the "Abinta Excellence Award".

The exhibition showcases selected oriental artworks by 54 academic, non-academic and self-taught artists from all over the country. The artworks were collected through a nationwide open call. 

"Realizing Divine Harmony" is a rather distinctive one as the selection of the display follows the principles of Saranga of Indian and Chinese Art together with the Darbari, modern, conceptual and traditional art trends of the East.

Some artists have beautifully depicted contemporary elements in their artworks, following the flawless wash technique, gouache, tempera, and Mughal miniature style.       

Artwork by Abdus Satter

A few artists have created new media paintings using traditional folk motifs. Jyoti Paul's work carries the nuances of both classical and folk themes. She has depicted the timeless classics of Ajanta and Ellora cave paintings on paper with an interesting way of presentation.

There are many artists who seem to move forward with the legacy of our own heritage. Several works truly reflect the emotion, nostalgia, and lifestyle of our own society.   

Amit Nandi's work is a conceptual one. He has depicted mythical heritage and sagas from the Mahabharata blending with traditional motifs. He has represented his work using the oriental wash technique and lyrical lines.

The conceptual paintings on display incorporate motifs, graceful lines, and subjects of our traditional paintings.

The exhibition is open to all till March 24, from 10 am till 8 pm.