A diplomat dwelling on our cultural scenario

DS: What brought you to the field of arts at the outset -- did you personally study Fine Arts?

GW: I have not studied Fine Arts; I like art -- it appeals to me. When I first came to Bangladesh as an ambassador in October 1999, I received a lot of invitations to art exhibitions. By accepting these invitations it gave me access to a world of art I did not know existed. One of the really pleasant surprises after I settled in Dhaka, was to discover and be exposed to how rich culture life is in Bangladesh. Even though I have enjoyed other cultural expressions such as music, dance, theatre and songs, it is fine art that has taken most of my spare time. It has given me great pleasure.

DS: What have you specialised in personally?

GW: I have a combination of studies from University of Oslo, such as Geography with focus on Social Anthropology, History and Norwegian Language. The degree is equivalent to a Masters.

DS: Who are the artist that you admire most in Bangladesh and what is it about their colours, forms and their intrinsic style you admire among the three generations of artists?

GW: It is difficult to point out one or two artists from others. Your contemporary artists have different ways of expression. They use different mediums and forms, use different colours and motives. Nature has influenced many artists, so has life. Many of them appeal to me. They have a message; affection for the beautiful landscape of Bangladesh or admiration for its people and their struggle. I like both figurative and non-figurative works. I have become aquatinted with a few artist on a personal basis and have appreciated that a lot. I am an admirer of Prof. Mohammad Kibria's work. I am facinated by the way he expresses colours and the message he conveys through his use of colours. I have also noticed that there are several very capable female artists including Rokeya Sultana, Nasreen Begum, Farida Zaman, and Kanak Chanpa Chakma, who have different styles and medium of expressions. Their work has strong messages and I like what they tell me.

DS: How far did you get to know these artists personally?

GW: I feel privileged that I've been able to know several artists personally. This is due to the way they have met me. When I met an artist and asked if I could come to his or her studio, I was always warmly welcomed. This has given me a unique opportunity and entry point into their work. It has also given me a chance to view their work in progress. It is an honour for me that they gave me their precious time. Many artists have to combine their work as artist along with other professions or income generating activities.

DS: What is your preference, if any, in mediums, water-colour, oil, mixed media etc.?

GW: I have no particular preference. Appreciating art is very personal -- to me it is a combination of colour, medium and message. But I must admit -- blue is a favorite colour of mine. Blue is a Nordic colour, maybe that is why.

DS: What is your opinion of the works of the artist exhibited at Oslo, Norway, recently?

GW: The exhibition was very successful. Norwegians are seldom exposed to excellent contemporary art from Bangladesh. The selection was done by the artist themselves in collaboration with Professor Mahmudul Haque. The idea came in consultation with my colleagues in Oslo. We had a short time to prepare the exhibit. Therefor only a few artists were invited to participate. The exhibition took place at the premises of NORAD, The Norwegian development agency. I hope it will not be the last time art from Bangladesh can be shown in my country!

DA: Who are the artist from overseas that you admire most?

GW: Allow me to limit my comments to Norwegian artists. I do admire Edward Munch, the greatest painter born in Norway. His works "Madonna" and "The Scream" are internationally known. You will find an excellent museum in Oslo dedicated him. Jakob Weidemann's non-figurative work, I also appreciate. His works are similar to Kibria's. They both play with colours. I also like Kåre Tveter who is considered to be an expert on expressing the light. We do also have several well-known women artists.

DS: What is your opinion of Bangladeshi artists based overseas like Kajol, Monirul Islam, Shahabuddin, Giasuddin and Kalidas -- have you had the opportunity to see their work?

GW: I have had the opportunity to see works of Monirul Islam, Shahabuddin and Giasuddin. They are all very different, but I appreciate their work. They together with others represent the broadness of contemporary Bangladeshi paintings.

DS: You took the trouble to see even the paintings of Laila Sharmeen, a young artist, at Hyacinth Gardens: What was your opinion of her work as a sample of the younger artist of Bangladesh?

GW: To attend an exhibition of artists, also young artists, is not trouble, it is pleasure. She is together with many other young artists an illustration of the vibrant and rich art environment you have been able to develop in Bangladesh. This has been done through the artist's own commitment and hard work and through qualified training of young students at the various art institutes.

DS: Of all the galleries in Dhaka, including "Shilpangan", "Gallery-21","Bengal Gallery", "Chitrak", "Drik", "Shilpakala Academy" etc. which one do you think is the most profitable one for the average Dhaka art lover?

GW: This is not for me to judge. I have attended those galleries and others and always found a sincere commitment for the promotion of Bangladeshi art. Some galleries specialise in solo exhibitions, others in group exhibitions. I have noticed that for young artists to be exposed, group exhibitions are often used, which I think is a good way of promotion. Regarding "Shilpakala Academy", they have had, as far as I understand, the responsibility for arranging both the National Exhibition and the Asian Biennale. In connection with the last Asian Biennale, which was excellent, I had the opportunity to meet several of the visiting artists from other countries. They considered the Bangladesh Asian Biennale to be the best in Asia and would like to come back. I believe this is the best compliment Shilpakala Academy can get!

DS: Have you been to the galleries of the Alliance Francaise, Goethe Institut and the Russian Cultural Centre?

GW: I have been both at the Alliance Francaise and the Russian Cultural Centre and enjoyed their exhibitions. Unfortunately, my time is often limited so I have to prioritize and cannot, even though I wish to, attend all exhibitions. But I am very happy they take place!

DS: What is your impression of the other art forms in Bangladesh? Did you have the opportunity to see plays, dances, musical performances, at least on TV, if not otherwise?

GW: I am not a TV watcher, but I have been lucky to experience various cultural performances other than painting exhibitions, during my tenure here. Watching Traditional Folk dances, listening to music and songs, seeing theatre performances -- even street plays, have been a nice brake from the daily work at the Embassy. I particularly like the combination of flute and the "tabla" -- that reminds me of the beautiful rivers and landscape of Bangladesh. A big difference between Bangladesh and my country when it comes to cultural performances is that here you can enjoy cultural activities even in private homes. What a privilege!

DS: Will you say something about your personal life?

GW: I have a husband, one son and two grandchildren. My husband is an IT specialist and works for a company owned by the Norwegian government.