Zainul Abedin’s Centennial Celebrations
Bengal launches yearlong programme
The centennial anniversary of birth of the master artist Zainul Abedin (1914 –1976), who was given the title Shilpacharya, will be celebrated through a yearlong programme by Bengal Foundation.
The yearlong programme was inaugurated by president Abdul Hamid through a book unveiling ceremony held at the Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel in the capital on Sunday.The book ‘Great Masters of Bangladesh: Zainul Abedin’ features biography and various artworks has been published globally by world renowned Italian publisher Skira.
Finance minister Abul Mal Abdul Muhit, ambassador of the European Union William Hanna, chairman of the foundation Abul Khair and Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin’s wife Jahanara Abedin were also present as special guests at the programme that was presided over by artist Quayyum Chowdhury.
The president at the programme recalled his memories with the art maestro Zainul Abedin.
It was informed that the yearlong programme will include an array of events which will end on the artist’s 100th birth anniversary, which falls on December 29, 1914.
The programme will include several seminars featuring the life and work of the legend. Besides, countrywide art exhibitions showcasing artworks of Shilpacharya and other artists will also be held along with photograph exhibitions featuring images taken from the artist’s life.
A children’s art competition will also be held at some point of the yearlong programme. In addition, art exhibitions will be held where special honours will be awarded to other great artists. However, the detailed schedule and plan of the programme has not yet been finalised by the foundation.
Zainul Abedin was an artist of exceptional talent and international repute. He got his breakthrough in 1944 with his Famine series paintings of 1943. He also set up a folk museum at Sonargaon in 1975 and a permanent gallery in Mymensingh (Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin Sangrahashala) to display some of his works. He became actively involved in a movement to preserve the cultural heritage of Bengal. The art maestro died in 1976 in Dhaka from lung cancer.
-With New Age input
