We mourn the doyen's death

IN the passing away of Qayyum Chowdhury rendered poignant by the way he slipped into eternity on the dais of the Bengal Classical Music Festival, 2014 on Sunday night, the country has lost an iconic figure in fine arts. The versatility of his creative talents and the rich lore of works make you feel that whilst he has left a void that would be difficult to fill, he remains a reference point of inspiration for future generation of artists.

He belonged to a genre of painters mentored by maestro Zainul Abedin. Very significantly, Qayyum pursued his passion during the most exciting phases of the art movement.

His paintings like 7th March, 1971, Protest and Bangladesh 71 are standouts. The second piece of a work done around Liberation War shows countless oars held by clearly etched figures with the colours muted to enhance solemn expressions on the faces enframed. Tumult and turbulence captivated in Bangladesh 71 (oil on canvas,1972) was an apt depiction of  genocidal terror and destruction.

Wherever he traversed he left he left his stamp of originality—be it the publication field, association with journalism and designing book covers.

He had been the recipient of prestigious accolades, national and international. To crown these all, he was awarded Swadhinata Padak this year.

While paying our homage to his memory, we mourn his death profoundly and express our condolences to his bereaved family.