Md. Zahiruddin (left) and works by the artist

Md. Zahiruddin amazed his viewers with his splendid and inimitable paintings on the Sunderbans in the recent past at Chitrak. Jovial, never giving in to pretentiousness, he speaks softly and carefully on his paintings, sipping evening coffee at Dhanmandi. He quotes from songs, which he can sing adlib in his gentle, husky voice, elaborating on his inspirations for his paintings of numerous mediums. Modern artists have taken their inspiration from music, books, flora, fauna, and what have you, in their overwhelming metropolis existence. Zahir is no exception. With his quicksilver wit and repartee, he elaborates on his styles and themes.
Zahir, who expresses his thoughts, feelings, memories and emotions in paints, rather than anything else, did his Masters (Painting) in 1990 from the IFA, (DU). He juxtaposes man against nature in the different seasons of the year. "Man is a gem placed in nature and so he too is reflected in my work. The birds, bees, flowers and fauna are netted in my work. When presenting man, the environment is included in my focus. If you simply place cows next to the paddy fields and streams, along with the beaten gold sky, this creates an idyll. A quickly sketched-in farmers, fishermen and their wives add more interest and lustre."
His feelings are far from merely pictorial. He includes the joie de vivre of his childhood in his uncle's home in Bikrampur. The scintillating vermilion creepers and hedges on the sides of the pond with their gray waves have been incorporated in his work. Even the emerald slime by the pond lends fascination and inspiration. In his eternally optimistic vision, he feels that the problems faced in city life, with the traffic jams and frequent power cuts too have a beauty of their own, if one should seek for peace and harmony. "There are variations in beauty. It is the vision that lends the difference. I'm a contented man with a positive outlook," Zahir says.
Asked to elaborate on his style and theme, he elaborates, "I'm influenced by the water-colour of Rafiqun Nabi. I don't copy, but my forms and washes are inspired by his works. I admire Shaheed Kabir (of Spain fame), along with that of my compatriot, Ahmed Nazir. In landscapes, I am fascinated by the works of Shamsuddoha, Sheikh Afzal and Alokesh Ghosh." From the western world, his pick of painters include Andrew Wyeth (who does landscapes in water-colour), based in NY. Miro has also had an enormous impact on Zahir's choice of colour, line and space.