A display of innovative technique and texture

Artworks by Fokhrul Islam.

The delicate lines, tones, textures and the fine monochromatic balance give a distinct look to the works of Fokhrul Islam, one of the noteworthy painters of the country.
Islam came to prominence in the mid '90s. He graduated from the Ceramic Department of Institute of Fine Arts (now Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka). After graduation, the artist did continue working in ceramics but eventually, shifted to painting. He developed a technique that remains unparalleled in contemporary Bangladeshi art. His paintings are closely connected to varied forms and structures of ceramics.
The artist's solo painting exhibition is now on at Alliance Francaise de Dhaka in Dhanmondi.
As an experimental painter, Islam delves into dots, points, monochromic images and varied vertical and horizontal lines. His works are engrossed with rich textured patterns and the paintings are technically sophisticated. Over the years, the painter has been working on a continuous series and has developed himself with innovative techniques and use of materials. He uses print ink with mustard or soybean oil, which he applies on board paper to add a different dimension to the black and white composition.
In his works, Islam demonstrates durability and transformation. Durability, in terms of his style and technique, and transformation, in terms of his choice of subjects and visualisation. For his subjects, the artist likes to paint gloomy sunsets, silent woodlands, vast deserts, thick forests, whirlwinds and other facets of nature. Sometimes his works envision moonlight on black water, a quiet village and many undiscovered aspects of nature.
A number of his works delineate serenity and emptiness. After observing the works closely, one can enjoy the splendour of simplicity. Some works demonstrate a combination of geometric forms and straight as well as broken lines. His landscapes are usually in black and white, speaking in a monochromatic language.
At the exhibition, a number of Islam's works clearly reveal his fondness of pure architectural lines and shapes. The beauty of the images lies in light permeating varied vertical and horizontal lines. The light plays with the whole space of paintings.
Over the last few years, Islam has held several solo exhibitions, which received acclaimed because of his unique style and its continual development. An artist should continue his work process, style and arrangement of forms. Islam is one of the followers of that path.
The exhibition at Alliance Francaise ends on January 15.