Rashid Chowdhury, a pioneering tapestry artist

April 1 marked the 81st birth anniversary of artist Rashid Chowdhury.

Chowdhury was the pioneer of tapestry in this country and definitely the finest artist of this particular genre to date. He successfully introduced tapestry in various forms. His works are unparalleled in their subjects and uniqueness.

Born in the village of Haroa, under Faridpur district, Chowdhury completed his five-year course in fine arts from the Dacca Art College (now Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka) in 1954 and attended a teachers' training certificate course at Asutosh Museum of the Calcutta University. He did his post-graduate studies under a Spanish government scholarship, and studied sculpture at the Central Escula des Bellias Artes de San Fernando in Madrid from 1956 to '57. He also studied sculpture, fresco and tapestry at the Academy of Jullian and Beaux Arts in Paris from 1960 to '64.

Chowdhury proved his distinctiveness -- particularly in terms of design and colour composition. The thickness of colours, various geometric compositions and aestheticism characterise his works.

The artist used azure, white, black, crimson, green, brown and more. He was deeply inspired by varied organic forms, like vegetation, flowers and plants. Chowdhury made a great attempt to present synchronisation of colours in his works. He used colours with vivid splendour to give a distinct message through his works, which for many years impressed art aficionados both at home and abroad.

Chowdhury received the first prize on fresco painting in Beaux Arts in Paris (1962) and first prize in RCD Biennale in Tehran (1967). He also received Ekushey Padak and the
Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Award.

The artist died in 1986.