Muniruzzaman: Lingering on lyricism
(From left) Md. Muniruzzaman; Folk Mala, oil on acrylic and Childhood, water colour.
Md. Muniruzzman, director of Chitrak, is reputed for his watercolour and mixed media works. His patrons come from far and near to get his romantic images done on paper and canvas. His forte was seen in the recent past at the "Sunderbans "joint exhibit at his gallery. He helps conduct art lessons at Chitrak premises too. He combines nature with the eternal theme of man and his exploits. He excels in superb watercolour images of birds, beasts, the sky and eternally beauteous blossoms. Working in his studio at Mohammadpur, he labours ceaselessly to present flamboyant and optimistic paintings to his viewers.
Speaking over a cup of coffee, Muniruzzaman said, "I enjoy working with watercolour, oil and acrylic on drawing-based realistic and impressionistic images. What I feel more relaxed with is watercolour. I get my materials locally, and depend on my friends and patrons to bring me imported brush, paints and other necessary materials. Thus the charcoal and "acrymin" (fabric paints) which I'm at present experimenting with are economical art essentials."
Dwelling on how he goes about his work, he said, "There's room enough in my studio for my collection of paintings. I've tried, over the years, to get a collection of the works of most locally renowned artists. There are paintings of Indian artists too, such as those of M.F. Hussain, Jogen Chowdhury, Sanat Kar etc."
While working, like many artists, he listens to Rabindra Sangeet, Nazrul Sangeet and folk songs. His paintings are about objects and feelings from the past and present. Of course, he combines them with his current emotions, thoughts, and imagination. Man, nature and society occupy his focal points of concentration, and thought-processes.
Painting, he says, is not a competitive matter. One expresses oneself to the best of one's ability, hoping that the viewers will find something meaningful and beautiful in the subjects one presents. At his fourth solo exhibit, held in Oman, he presented subjects from both Bangladesh and Oman. What he found interesting about that city was that there was no academic training on art and yet, the local artists came up with remarkable creations. Presiding over their workshop, he welcomed the exchange of views, ideas, and experiences.
"Normally Arabs don't do figurative work but, with courage and determination, I presented women's faces -- along with their dazzling costumes and nonpareil jewellery -- with the backdrop of scenes from everyday life. These paintings were readily welcomed," he recalled.
Md. Muniruzzaman went to Japan (in 1993) to receive an award, and to UK (in 1995) to participate at an international competition. He got the Quamrul Hassan Smriti Parshad Award (1987) and an ADAB award, along with other local acclaims.
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