Shilpacharya's birth centenary celebrated in Barisal

Children at the painting competition. Photo: STAR

Achildren's painting competition and discussion were held in Barisal on Friday to observe the birth centenary of internationally-acclaimed painter Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin.
Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Barisal district branch organised the programme at Ashwini Kumar Hall in the city, presided over by president of Barisal Sanskritik Sangathan Samannya Parisha, Syed Dulal. Discussants at the programme said as an artist of exceptional talent and international repute, Shilpacharya is considered the founding father of Bangladeshi art.
In 1948, he helped found the Government Institute of Arts and Crafts
(Now the Faculty of Fine Arts, Dhaka University) in Dhaka, the first modern art institution in erstwhile East Pakistan, they said. Not confining himself to promoting modern art, he worked tirelessly to encourage folk art in Bangladesh. He founded the Folk Art Museum at Sonargaon near Dhaka in 1975 and became actively involved in a movement to preserve the cultural heritage of Bengal. Abedin was involved in the Liberation War movement. He was at the forefront of the cultural movement to re-establish the Bengali
identity, the discussants added. The speakers further said that the younger generation should learn about Zainul.
Later, the chief guest distributed prizes among the winners of the competition.