An introvert's imagination in geometrical shapes
Munawer Mehedi's solo exhibition began on April 13. It had cultural activist, Ramendu Mujumder, architect Salauddin Ahmed and eminent writer Mofidul Haq as guests. Poet and art critic Rabiul Hussain also attended the inaugural. This solo painting show at Shilpangan in Dhaka, called “Primitive Periphery”, was a joy to behold for art lovers. The colours used are subtle, and the lines powerful.
“I was born in Rajshahi. However, my school days were spent in Islamabad, and I studied Fine Arts in Lahore, Pakistan.
“I met friends of the Liberation War in Lahore, one of them is Ahmed Salim, who was decorated for his work in the Liberation War. He is a journalist and poet. I was looking for self-identity at that age; I was not looking for any fashionable expression in paintings. I got guidance from Najm Hussain Syed, who is a friend of the playwright Syed Ahmed. These people were progressive and open minded, and as a cultural activist, I had interchange of opinions with people who could give me the right directions.
I came to Bangladesh in 1990. This was a family arrangement when my father died,” said Mehedi.
He had eight shows, some of which were solo exhibitions. Thus he had interactions with the artist community of Dhaka and with art lovers.
Mehedi said that his works depict people in their thoughts about life -- in what appears to be semi abstract creations. In the figurative forms, the compositions have symbolic and abstract elements in them. He normally uses oil on canvas, but of late acrylic too.
In the acrylic “Genocide” there is the use of alpona along with black figures, which represent tormented human beings. “I've tried to create an atmosphere, which invokes the elements of genocide,” the artist said. There are curls, twirls and dark, slim figures, almost like skeletons. At the background one finds orange and black trees.
There are the geometrical figures, with heart shaped faces. The backdrop is blue and mauve. Thus he brings in a depiction of a conventional family, in lines and colours that are semi-abstract. The man is done in shades of brown -- a mixture of yellow ochre, burnt umber and burnt sienna. The head of the girl is green and her face is in shades of pink. Thus we have two small, growing children before a set of parents. This painting is called “A family”.
In the depiction of “Housewife” the woman has a stirring metal utensil (khunti) in her hand. From the surrounding grill pattern the artist depicts a figure of a typical house-maker. The lips, eyes, and nose along with shapely fingers are all clearly formed, with geometric precision.
The artist has done a laudable job of blending myths with reality.
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