Beauty in likely places

Photos by Anwar Hossain.

A solo exhibition featuring works by veteran Bangladeshi photographer Anwar Hossain, titled “Because of You”, is now on at Dhaka Art Centre, Dhanmondi in Dhaka.
The images at the exhibition shed light on the socio-economic and cultural diversity in India, France, US and Bangladesh. Subjects of Hossain's photographs are women, in their many moods and actions -- walking, chatting and engrossed in romance. Hossain looks for beauty and for the photos at the current exhibition, he seemingly found them in women. The senior photo-artiste picks up the rhythm and joys of human life. Most of his images frame simple pleasures of daily life. To him every moment of life is important.
Some of his images show people on the streets of Paris, the usual chaos, leisure at the cafés and mundane celebration that needs no special reason. The photographer is an expert in using natural light to create images that are easy on the eye. His photos are vivid and lively. In some of his images, darkness is absolutely pitch black and elsewhere is a blend of light and shadows. Hossain demonstrates his technique in some photographs.
One of his images shows a street wrapped up in the silence of dawn, and a number of people walking briskly. The sky looks gloomy and one can comprehend the chill in the weather. The photo was taken in Paris.
Another photo features two teenagers in an embrace in front of a sculpture. The photo was taken in the US.
A vivacious Moonmoon Sen, Indian actress and daughter of legendary screen diva Suchitra Sen, in white, is one of his subjects.
Hossain's works also display his fascination with nature, particularly mustard field, foliage and flora. Cloudy sky, the mystery of fog and crimson sun are also in focus. These photos were shot at several locations in Bangladesh.
Putting together men and women with nature as the background or the subject is quite remarkable in his photos. Everyday images that don't fail to grab attention: a child on an old man's lap; an elderly individual resting at a rural tea stall; lines of river boats and drying rivers in the countryside.
Anwar Hossain has been a photographer since 1967 and a cinematographer since 1977. He has won 60 international awards in photography and has been an associate of RPS, UK since 1989 and of FIAP, Belgium, and IIPC, Delhi since 1991.
The exhibition continues till August 29.