Syed Abdullah Khalid A touch of bliss

Syed Abdullah Khalid is regarded as one of the most brilliant sculptors of our country. He is largely recognised for his “Aparajeyo Bangla”, one of the most iconic sculptures in our country. A versatile artist, Khalid has not only excelled in sculpture but also made a great impression with his paintings.
Khalid mainly deals with the seasonal flowers of Bangladesh. He is overwhelmed by the vivid colours of spring flowers, especially Sonalu, Radhachura and Krishnachura. His very picturesque and appealing natural observation is profoundly embedded in Khalid's psyche and his acrylic and mixed media (a few done in oil) based paintings are created spontaneously by his skilled hands brushed with colours in the easels. The painter uses close-up views of the branches of trees containing patches of flowers of different colours and then distorts the work by splashing colour pigments.
Khalid is inclined to use a large canvas for depicting untamed nature, landscapes and still life (flower based). Losing himself in the natural world, the artist frequently takes themes from this affluent source and plays with shades and textures on canvas. He occasionally likes to experiment with diverse vague and plain forms, and enjoys breaking and constructing them in many ways. Blossoming and budding flowers as well as dense forests are recurring features in his paintings. In many of Khalid's works, one finds a great interchange between abstract and realistic forms.
As an abstract expressionist, the painter's focus is on colour and its various facets. He also experiments with unstructured forms and vague compositions, which are scrupulously used in his works. The artist has applied colours directly; piling up thick and at times thin layers on the canvas, and has created images that are bold and dynamic. Strong brushstrokes make a textural state in his works which have not been intentionally done. At times, he deliberately creates a texture according to the paintings' distinctive requirements. He concentrates more on the application aspect and this trait creates a personal hallmark for his creations.
The artist has also used outlining (the shapes) and strong lighting contrasts in his paintings and he has also rejected the tradition of profound space and viewpoint that have been prominent in art for centuries. His works stay near the surface of the painting, emphasising the materials of art rather than the illusions of art.
Khalid's paintings generally denote the romantic notion. The paintings of flowers by Khalid are sometimes characterised by loose brushstrokes, simple forms and contrasting colours. He has also used outlining in the shapes and strong lighting contrasts in his paintings.
In his long, chequered life, Khalid has gradually transformed his style into pure impressionism, where colour is the focal point in his paintings and forms have been diluted appropriately.