<i>Syed Jahangir: A tireless traveller in the world of paints</i>

Paintings by Syed Jahangir

Syed Jahangir, in his tireless journey through life, once again presents the Dhaka art lovers with a treasure trove of art works. In his ongoing exhibit at the Bengal Gallery, he has brought forth 60 sketch, watercolour, oil and mixed media pieces. These are done in an impressionistic manner, as he has departed from abstraction quite some while back.
The exhibition was inaugurated yesterday and will continue till November 15.
The gallery is awash with colours of gold, cobalt blue, and touches of earthy colours. Dynamic and dedicated, this master of paints also brings symbolism in some of his motifs where he has concentrated on nature, not forgetting the idylls of the past. Jahangir combined his studies under the Bangladeshi masters -- Zainul Abedin, Quamrul Hassan, Safiuddin Ahmed and Anwarul Haq -- with the western lessons from impressionists and contemporary painters.
Very much an expert in paints in the 21st century, he harks back to all possible genres of modern art of the recent past like Auguste Renoir, Pablo Picasso and Henry Moore in sensuous and sensitive colours and lines.
Jahangir meditates over his work, before he touches his brush and canvas, and takes his inspiration from sketches and photographs for his numerous landscapes, still life and portraits, often set against the horizon with its scintillating colours of blue, gold, brown and red. And then, at the opportune moment, he takes Dhaka city by storm.
Speaking to The Daily Star, Jahangir says, “I still feel that I'm learning and that there's a lot to do -- to continue to paint as long as I can, and as long as I enjoy it.” Touching on the contemporary art scene in Bangladesh, he says,
“There are a lot of young artists who are experimenting with the western style. I feel that painting is something that comes from within -- there is rampant aping at times and the works are often forced, just to be termed 'up to date' to the world art scenario. This is currently prevalent in the pop music scene -- the trend of fusing Bangladeshi folk genres with western elements. Sometimes it sounds all right and sometimes you don't really 'get it'. Zainul Abedin, who did beautiful works of art and had a superb colour sense, had a great love for the country and did not go into abstract paintings. He could not connect himself with the global art situation of his time.
“Sheikah Afzal, Jamal Ahmed, Nisar Hussain and Dhali Al Mamoun are the more serious young artists of our time,” Jahangir continues.
Asked if he felt that there is a difference in the standard of teaching in the FAI (Fine Arts Institute) from that of his time, Jahangir says, “In our times, the teachers came from the Calcutta School of Art. They taught the academics, the grammar of the language of fine arts with finesse, and we went into abstraction and surrealism later on. It's like music: take up the challenge of modern tones. Now the young teachers, who have training in style from overseas, have a different quality of teaching.”
Syed Jahangir has had 24 solo exhibitions at home and overseas and he has also participated in numerous group exhibitions. Jahangir has won eight awards, including the Ekushey Podok in 1985.