Subir Chowdhury, a director of Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts, who devoted his life in patronising art, is no more. The great art connoisseur and artist drew his last breath on June 30 at Sydney in Australia.
The artist, along with a 10-member group, went to Australia on March 16 to arrange exhibitions on behalf of Bengal Gallery in three Australian cities. He fell ill at the end of March during the inauguration programme of an exhibition in Canberra.
He was diagnosed with a brain tumour in Sydney and later admitted to Westmead Hospital in the same city where he underwent treatment for treatment for neurological cancer complications. He was 61 when he died at the same hospital.
As a devotee to art and a commendable leader in the art industry, he was loved and respected by artists and art lovers alike.
Chowdhury dedicated his lifetime to revive the art movement in Bangladesh and arranged a number of exhibitions both at home and abroad. He played a vital role in arranging Asian Art Biennale in Dhaka.
As an individual, Chowdhury is known as a polite, gentle and down-to-earth human being amongst his peers, colleagues, friends and well wishers. He was always eager to help artists whenever they needed support.
His passing away is felt acutely by his friends and colleagues. Luva Nahid Chowdhury, director general of Bengal Foundation, told New Age that Subir Chowdhury was a selfless man. ‘Subir never thought about his personal gains. He was always worried about the welfare of the artists,’ said Luva Nahid, who added that Chowdhury was also a responsible gallery-head and a noble-hearted man.
Noted artist Rafiqun Nabi, on the other hand informed that Subir was his student at the Department of Drawing and Painting, University of Dhaka. ‘He was one of my favourite students and he was very talented with a combination of many competences,’ said Nabi.
Subir Chowdhury’s body will arrive from Australia today and be kept at Bengal Shilpalaya in Dhanmondi from 3:00 to 6:00pm and at the Shaheed Minar premises on Saturday from 11:00am to 12:45pm for people to pay their last respects.
His funeral will be held at Sabujbag crematory at 3:00pm on Saturday. Bengal Gallery has organised a memorial programme on July 11 at 4:00pm at Bengal Shilpalaya in Dhanmondi.
Born in 1953 in Jamalpur, Subir was active in major political movements and in the War of Independence. He graduated from the Institute of Fine Arts at Dhaka University in 1974.
He joined Bangladesh Shilapakala Academy as assistant director of the Fine Art Department in 1975.
In 2004, he joined Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts and later became its director and a trustee of Bengal Foundation.
-With New Age input
