Solo exhibition by Azmeer Hossain
In his first solo at Bengal Shilpalaya last year, artist Azmeer Hossain showcased 59 paintings pertaining to two series- Mindscape and Through the Mind’s Eye. It seemed that for the artist, what is more important is the perceiver than what is being perceived, as any change in the former can inevitably change the latter. In his ongoing solo at Shilpangan Gallery, Azmeer seems to solidify his stance as he has done a number of works that seem to resonate the same theme. Though there is a technical difference in regard to his painting style; in the present solo, which is titled Small is Beautiful, Azmeer has painted on small canvases and surfaces.
It is not that Azmeer’s style of small painting resembles much to the genre called ‘miniature painting’, as pointed out by art-critic professor S Manzoorul Islam in a write-up that comments on Azmeer’s recent works, but the small paintings seem to have a uniqueness of style.
Small is Beautiful showcases around 70 works, done mostly in watercolour and mixed media. There is use of poster colour too in some paintings. Some of the artworks of the artist are as small as 2.5 X 6.5 cm.
In this solo, Azmeer has also worked on his previous series Mindscape, only on small surfaces. The works of the series are predominantly abstract and expressionist and show the artist’s response to spatial and temporal elements. If we look closer, some forms, geometric shapes emerge from the layered use of watercolour washes.
Other series in the current exhibition like Cityscape, Rhythmscape and Poetic Mystery also yield suggestions, not narratives. It is perhaps Azmeer’s intention too to suggest and not give any specific narrative.
Azmeer’s use of colour, to use Manzoorul Islam’s word, is ‘judicious’. The artist has used mostly green, brown, grey and black in the works.
The exhibition, inaugurated on September 20, will be open till October 1.
-With New Age input
