Women's Expressions

Artworks by Kanak Chanpa Chakma and Shameem Subrana.

On the occasion of International Women's Day, Gallery Cosmos-2 in New DOHS, Mohakhali has organised a two-week group art exhibition titled “Life”. The inauguration ceremony of the art exhibition was held recently at the gallery premises. Heather Cruden, Canadia High Commissioner inaugurated the event as chief guest while woman activist Khushi Kabir was present as guest of honour.
At the exhibition, 15 women artists of different decades have taken part with their outstanding works: Afrozaa Jamil Konka, Bipasha Hayat, Dilara Beghum Jolly, Fareha Zeba, Farida Zaman, Kanak Chanpa Chakma,  Maksuda Iqbal Nipa, Mini Karim, Nazia Andaleeb Preema, Rebeka Sultana, Shameem Subrana and others.
Afrozaa Jamil Konka is the curator and coordinator of the exhibition. She said, “We dedicate the group exhibition of Bangladeshi women artists to three pioneering women -Begum Rokeya, Begum Sufia Kamal and Jahanara Imam --to salute them for their courage, dedication and sacrifice towards the emancipation of women in Bangladesh.  We want to carry on their legacy for a better and brighter future for all Bangladeshis.”  
At the exhibition, Kanak Chanpa Chakma has portrayed some wild flowers with vivacious colours. A quiet visage of a woman is apparent at the upper part of the canvas. The image is blending of realism and impressionism.
Fareha Zeba is recognised for her conceptual works. Her paintings capture the essence of female bliss, woes and aspirations. She has worked for acid victims and disadvantaged women. The painter also seeks inspiration from poetry, novels and stories. At the exhibition, her “Dream and Fantasy” mainly focuses on a semi-lying female figure. Some animal forms are symbolically noticeable at the piece.
Vivacious colours, techniques and uneven strokes are the ingredients that paintings are made of and Afrozaa Jamil, an earnest artist who has been working on varied themes for over decades. A true patriot, she delves deep into rural subjects and her artworks touch the various aspects of pastoral life. Afrozaa made a move from Oriental to Realistic art in her early days. She wanted to explore a realm unfamiliar to her. As a student of the Oriental Department, Institute of Fine Arts (now Faculty of Fine Arts), Dhaka University, she attained skills in portraying the bond between humans and nature. Though she changed her field of study, she tries to maintain a correlation between her current working style and Oriental art.
Glowing colours, malleable brush-strokes, and imagery are some of the noticeable features in the paintings of Maksuda Iqbal Nipa. She takes her colours from nature; colours which become the most significant aspect in her works. She likes to experiment with colours and textures in all their various facets: applying colours directly, piling up thick layers on the canvas. Her paintings create an expression based on the essence of the colours. Over the years, the painter has developed this technique which is at once very expensive and time-consuming.
Rebeka Sultana's acrylic-based painting denotes realism with a touch of oriental mode. The painter has drawn a pretty face with an alluring composition. Here, varied shades of the image carry a lively and imposing view.
The exhibition will run till March 25.