"Exception" was formed back in 1999 when the artists attended a six month long workshop at Gallery Tone, run by Khaled Mahmud Mithu and Kanak Chanpa. "We were drawn to each other and felt very much like a team," says Mohammad Wahiduzzaman, the most vocal group member. There is a feeling of mutual confidence and a shared commitment to promote art; the name was adopted jointly.

Uttam Kumar Roy, another member of the group, started painting in 1996 and had his first exhibition three years later. He has a preference for oils, as this medium enables him to work at his own leisurely pace. Uttam's paintings are dominated by spiders and webs in geometric patterns, which are symbolic of mankind's repression by society. Having a botany background, he has also done a series on the ozone layer.

Painting came naturally to Wahiduzzaman, whose talent was encouraged in childhood, leading up to his first exhibition at Gallery Tone. He is usually inspired by a key word, resulting in a particular series of acrylic on paper. For the current show, the artist has used 'family' (shongshar) as his central dogma, representing trust, understanding and inner crises of individuals coming together, using mathematical symbols to "put life in a frame".

Nusrat Jahan Nazlee is self-taught and had her first solo exhibition at Gallery Tone in 1995. Initially working in oil, Nazlee's medium of choice is now acrylic. Flowers in various forms and colours lie at the heart of her work. "Life is complicated enough and my flowers represent a simplistic view, they match my lifestyle. Of course, there will always be problems." To Nusrat, recognition in one's own country comes high on the wish list. She feels that talented Bangladeshi artists are much more appreciated abroad than at home.

Like some of his fellow group members, Syed Mohammad Shamim also studied art at the Bulbul Academy of Fine Arts, starting in 1992. He held his first solo exhibition in 2005. He is partial to the flexibility of mixed media, the various textures appealing to his style. Shamim concentrates on the bucolic themes of nature, village life, boats and rivers in his pieces entitled "In Search of Peace" (Shantir Khojey). Shamim is not bound by the norms of colour; he likes to experiment with colour and works from memory using the fronds of a coconut branch, instead of a brush.

Shyamal Roy Chowdhury is currently a student at Rabindra Bharati University in Kolkata. Shyamal has previously painted a dolls series and does more abstract work now. Arif Al Karim Bhuyian's landscapes were also part of the exhibition.

"Exception" has come a long way since their first show at the Zainul Gallery almost exactly a year ago, a second hot on its heels in Chittagong. The third exhibition took place at the Academy of Fine Art, Kolkata, earlier this year. The artists waxed lyrical about their Kolkata effort and the fantastic response from viewers, critics and artists alike. Notable persona from the cultural arena, artists Shuva Prasanna and Ramlal Dhar, author Taslima Nasreen and poet Belal Chowdhury were among those who attended. The group feels that there should be more such cross-border interaction.

Wahiduzzaman feels the exchange of views between group members with very different rationales brings them closer, making a positive contribution to their innate styles. This association is particularly appreciated when a member has a solo exhibition; they can always rely on someone for help with catalogues, galleries, publicity. "Exception" intends to donate proceeds from future exhibitions to relief work in cases of natural disasters.

The exhibition is on till March 29.