Shafiuddin Ahmed was one such artist whose contribution is becoming increasingly acknowledged and appreciated after he passed away, observed the discussants at a commemorative programme on Monday evening at Bengal Shilpalaya in Dhanmondi.
The programme was organised by Bengal Foundation to mark
the first death anniversary of the Shafiuddin Ahmed, who is known as Shilpaguru.
Renowned artists Qayyum Chowdhury, Rafiqun Nabi and Abul Barak Alvi along with professor Nazrul Islam, professor Azizul Haque and professor Mainuddin Khaled delivered speech at the programme hosted by the director of the foundation Subir Chowdhury.
The speakers discussed Shafiuddin Ahmed as an artist and an individual. As an artist, Ahmed had the unique quality to immerse himself into the depth of a matter. His expertise in presenting the hidden glory of even the most ordinary thing was incomparable; therefore, even a small fish was illustrated with large significance in his paintings. His painting The Forgotten Fish is one such remarkable artwork among several others.
Ahmed was really interested in portraying the saotals, a small ethnic community in Bangladesh. The way he depicted the life of the saotals still charm the spectators.
Eyes were a favourite subject matter for Ahmed who made a number of paintings depicting eyes and tears. The artist believed that the eye is a mirror of an individual’s personality hence he tried to convey people’s emotions through emphasising eyes.
Shafiuddin Ahmed was also an artist who never lost touch with reality and the world. Historical events like the language movement, the war of independence as well as natural catastrophes like flood and cyclone had been demonstrated with great zeal by Ahmed on canvases.
The speakers also revealed that as a person Ahmed was a man of less talk and more work. He only focused on creating artworks and used painting as a medium to express his feelings, wishes, thoughts and aspirations.
Ahmed’s contribution in modernising and popularising prints in Bangladesh was also discussed at the programme.
The speakers lamented the fact that the contributions of Shafiuddin Ahmed are not duly recognised in comparison to his contemporaries. The orators also expressed a consensus that a ‘Shafiuddin Ahmed Corner’ should be allocated in a reputed art gallery of Dhaka displaying at least 30 artworks of the maestro so that people can get acquainted with his work.
Safiuddin Ahmed (1922-2012) is one of the pioneers of contemporary art in Bangladesh. He became known as an artist in the 1940s. He acquired his mastery in oil paintings and under his initiative, printmaking technique was introduced in the country. Above all, he made remarkable contributions to establish Charukala (Faculty of Fine Arts of Dhaka University) in the country.
-With New Age input
