Expatriate artist Shahabuddin Ahmed’s solo exhibition ‘Shahabuddin 2009’ will be inaugurated at Gallery Chitrak on September 18 and ‘Jai Bangla’ at Bengal Gallery of Fine Art on September 27.
Planning minister air vice marshal (rtd) AK Khandker will inaugurate the ‘Shahabuddin 2009’ as chief guest while eminent artist Aminul Islam will be present as special guest.
Shilpachariya Zainul Abedin’s wife Jahanara Abedin will preside over the ceremony to begin at 6:00pm on September 18 at the Dhanmondi Gallery Chitrak.
The three-week exhibition will remain open for the visitors from 10:00am to 9:00pm till October 9.
The other solo painting show ‘Jai Bangla’ will be inaugurated by the Indian film personality and social activist Shabana Azmi. Finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhit will be present as chief guest and the French ambassador Charley Causeret will be the special guest at the ceremony to begin at 6:00pm on September 27 at the Dhanmondi Bengal Gallery.
The exhibition will remain open for the visitors from 12:00pm to 8:00pm daily from September 28 to October 11.
Talking to New Age, Shahabuddin said that he would display around 25 paintings in each exhibition.
‘I have worked hard for both the exhibitions and the artworks will reflect the contemporary life. I have also emphasised on the liberation war in the works,’ he added.
The eminent artist said he was working for the new generation visitors who will get a chance to watch his works.
Shahabuddin, who has been living in Paris since 1974, had fought in the Bangladesh’s war of independence in 1971 which has immense influence on his paintings.
His works have been displayed in numerous prestigious art shows worldwide. Awards and honours started flowing in as early as 1968 when he received the President’s Gold Medal and continued till his receipt of the Independence Day Award of 2000.
Shahabuddin’s other mentionable awards include the Prime Minister’s Gold Medal as Best Painter in the Institute of Fine Art (1973), Gold Medal at the Salon de Printemps, Paris (1975), Honorable Mention at the 3rd Asian Art Biennial, Dhaka (1986) and awards at the Cigars de la Havana a Horizon 2000 (1999-2000).
He has had more than 40 solo exhibitions in Europe alone and has represented Bangladesh on numerous occasions in international art forums. His last solo exhibition in Dhaka was held at Shilpangan in 2000.