A colourful, event-packed four-day long Zainul Mela began on the premises of faculty of fine arts of Dhaka University on Friday. The four-day fair features display of artworks by artisans across the country and students of fine arts faculty. The fair also features cultural shows, children art competition, alumni reunion and others. The fair is organised by the faculty as part of its month-long celebration of shilpacharya Zainul Abedin’s birth centenary. Zainul Abedin, pioneer of modern art in Bangladesh and world renowned artist, was born on December 14, 1914.
AAMS Arefin Siddique, vice-chancellor of Dhaka University, inaugurated the fair on Friday morning, in presence of Nisar Hossain, dean of faculty of fine arts; Khairul Abedin, son of Zainul Abedin, and hundreds of students and art enthusiasts.
Visitors were seen thronging at stalls of traditional artworks. Around 20 artisans have displayed their works at the fair. The artisans have come up with a wide array of artifacts like handmade crafts, ornaments, paintings and others.
Among the artisans Dhaka-based Rafiqul Islam, a rickshaw painter, has displayed colourful rickshaw arts which once were very popular. Jhenaidah-based artisan Komol Sarkar has displayed flutes, while Kishoreganj-based Sunil Chandra Pal has displayed ceramic and wood works.
While talking to New Age, they thanked the fair committee for inviting them.
‘Zainul Abedin was always passionate about traditional art forms and accommodated them in the institute which is now faculty of fine arts’, said AAMS Arefin Siddique.
All eight departments of the faculty have also displayed artworks done by teachers and students at the fair. Visitors were showing interest in and buying works of diverse categories and mediums of artworks like paintings, sculptures, ceramic works, crafts, prints and others.
For hundreds of visitors, the opening day of the fair turned out to be all the more better because of fusion band Joler Gaan who electrified the audiences by presenting their popular numbers.
Today, the festival will feature a concert where noted artistes of the country will present songs of Tagore, Nazrul and Lalon. Moreover, an art competition for children will be held in the morning.
Tomorrow, the fair will feature another concert where artistes from across the country will present folk songs. On the concluding day of the fair on December 29, the fair will hold alumni reunion and a concert.
-With New Age input
