Tajuddin Ahmed: Capturing moments in time

A couple of years ago, renowned contemporary Bangladeshi painter Tajuddin Ahmed migrated to Toronto. Before leaving Dhaka, he did several solo and group exhibitions, mostly focused on themes like urban nature, nostalgia and his beloved Old Dhaka. He also meticulously developed the patterns with basic architectural lines and forms in his paintings. His mode of expressions is abstract expressionism. In this genre an artist expresses himself purely through the use of form and colour. It's non-representational or non-objective art, which means that there are no actual objects represented. It also exposes the artist's most personal feelings and personal redemption directly through making art.
Tajuddin is one of the foremost painters from the '70s, a time when the country was in the throes of the freedom movement. During that time, the country faced many political and economic crises as also a number of dilemmas, a time when our art, literature proceeded with a new dream and novel vision. Tajuddin closely observed the transforming socio-political and economical condition of the country.
At present, the painter is in Dhaka and has brought a number of acrylic-based paintings along with him. He will take part at the upcoming Dhaka Art Summit '14. The latest works are to some extent different from the painter's earlier works, as he gives emphasis to the relaxed use of space, thick and rough textures. The current changes are mainly technical and sometimes it seems that the artist is more concerned with applying colours and mingling of forms as well as textural intensity of the paintings.
About the art and its philosophical aspects, Tajuddin stated “Art seems to me to be above all a state of soul and art is the expression of an artist's overflowing soul. Art is to me the glorification of the human spirit. Art is not a thing but a moving spirit. I feel that simplicity and complexity are intertwined in my paintings and the aim is realising harmony, synergy and perfection.”
The artist's previous works feature texture and surface that are soft and smooth. He used subdued colours and tones where Dhaka city's socio-economic and cultural structures, densely populated areas and architectural improvement have been reflected.
Tajuddin feels that location plays a significant role in an artist's life. One can easily get affected by the environment, cultural and social setting. The artist feels alienated in Toronto but the solitude gives him a chance to explore himself thoroughly.
Tajuddin's art tries to replicate nature's colour synchronisation in his works. The space that is found to adorn his works belonging to the most important forms, take precedence by position rather than by perspective, resulting in abstract relationships. The artist enhanced use of the romantic background matched by sensual colours and remarkable themes turn the paintings with their abstractions of landscape.
The artist continued, “When I'm working, I like to meander about and evaluate the progress. My work is not concluded, until I'm satisfied. I think an artist can be a critical observer of his/her works. If the work satiates his/her creative urges, then the endeavour is a success. I always try to add new dimensions and novel themes in my works. Past, present and future -- the three stages of time may carry meaningful situations, adding to the sum of our knowledge and experience. We all are shaped and blessed by time.”
Tajuddin derives inspiration from many aspects of his surroundings. Leafless trees in winter, silent nature, summer celebrations, greenery in urban areas, people relaxing and walking around and their body language appear brilliantly in his artworks. As an abstract expressionist, colour is the main feature of his works. The painter has used brown, green and black in his works. His brushstrokes are bold. The tonal and linear approaches give his work a different quality.