Giving back to Mother Nature

Moniruzzaman has a passion for portraying the splendour of nature in his works.

Bangladeshi artist Muhammad Moniruzzaman received an invitation from Peace Tour Cultural Exchange Centre in Beijing. He is the managing director of Gallery Chitrak, one of the well-known art galleries in our country. Peace Tour Cultural Exchange Centre is a non-government organisation, which is supported by Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Culture in China.

About 50 artists from Asia and Europe are taking part in the festival. The exhibition was inaugurated on April 25, and will wrap up today. At the exhibition, a number of Moniruzzaman's paintings and watercolours are on display.

The artist told The Daily Star over the telephone, “I'm elated to be a part of the festival. The works at the festival reflect the latest artistic techniques and trends in different countries, providing an unparalleled opportunity for artists to learn from each other.”

Moniruzaman is a socially and politically aware artist. As a painter he feels he has some responsibilities to the society and strives to open the eyes of the people around him. He has been involved with social and cultural movements since his teenage years. He has always taken a strong position against social inequity and oppression.

Moniruzzaman has a passion for portraying the splendour of nature in his works.

Moniruzzaman has a passion for portraying the splendour of nature -- tranquillity, foggy environment, cloudy skies and hilly areas. The painter said, “We are all part of nature, but some of us closely observe nature with deep passion. I try to blend elements of nature and my inner feelings in my paintings. I think each artwork has a secret language of its own.”

He has also been highlighting the lives of freedom fighters. Childhood memories are also featured in his works. It should be mentioned that the artist first focuses on his theme, than pours his effort to other technical aspects.

Moniruzzaman began his career as a naturist painter. He prefers seasonal transformation, flying cranes, winter mornings, mangrove forests, crows, birds sitting on tree, people at leisure chatting, rainy days, water vessels and blue skies. The subjects of his works appear in a sombre mood and their characteristics are consistently highlighted. At times, his figures look immobile and propel us into reflecting on their experiences.

Moniruzzaman is simultaneously a watercolourist and oil painter, with substantial dexterity in acrylic as well. For watercolour, the artist's technique is particularly based on flat wash and thin colour. His acrylic has carried varied tonal effects. Azure, emerald green, yellow, grey, black and white are predominant aspects in his works. His lines are very lyrical and spontaneous.