Popular portrait artist Sheikh Afzal is not yet satisfied with his works, though the artist has won awards in home and abroad.
A teacher at the painting department of Dhaka University, Afzal said that he has got everything he desired in life but has not yet drawn
the portrait he wished to make.
‘I’ve got fame, respect and love for my endeavours as an artist. But, I think I should have made even better paintings and portraits,’ Sheikh Afzal told New Age.
In an interview with New Age Sheikh Afzal also shared stories of his life and works. Sheikh Afzal began his artistic career at an early age. ‘My father late Sheikh Abdul Jabbar used to inspire me a lot,’ said Afzal, who was born in 1960 in Jhinaidah district.
‘I decided to take art as profession being boosted by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. I drew his portrait when he visited Kushtia to attend a political programme in 1969. Watching a kid was painting his portrait, he became so excited that he gave me a token money and blessed me,’ Afzal said.
Sheikh Afzal got admitted to the then Dhaka Art College in 1984 [now Faculty of Fine Arts of Dhaka University]. After completion of his study at the college, he got a scholarship in Japan.
‘I received the scholarship letter on my marriage day. That was really an exciting experience,’ said Afzal.
‘I learnt a lot from my Japanese mentor Yamamato Fumi Hiko, a well reputed artist in Japan. I’m also grateful to noted artists like Rafiqun Nabi and Abdul Based for their continuous guidance and support in my career as an artist,’ Afzal added.
As a teacher Sheikh Afzal appreciates the young artists. ’Our students are really talented and they are doing very well. More importantly they are doing many experimental works these days,’ said Afzal.
‘But, sometimes they are becoming so much dependent on technology. I’ve seen many students practice landscape paintings watching photographs stored in their mobile phone sets. I wonder how come they do that! To my understanding mobile images can never be the alternative to the nature, which should be the ideal source,’ Afzal said,
Sheikh Afzal also teaches drawing at the architecture department at BRAC University.
He has won numerous awards in home and abroad including Young Art Exhibition Award, Honorable Mention in 11th National Art Exhibition, Shorei Sho Award in Japan and others.
-With New Age input
