Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 5 Num 1081 Sat. June 16, 2007  
   
Culture


'Rebirth of Learning' and 'Eastern Softness'
Weeklong exhibitions at Zainul Gallery


Weeklong art exhibitions by young artists M Shaiful Islam and Rubait Shaila Eti ended yesterday at Zainul Gallery 1 and 2 respectively, at the Institute of Fine Arts.

Shaiful's 6th solo exhibition titled "Rebirth of Learning" featured artworks including drawings, sculptures, ceramics, paintings, digital paintings, photo paintings, photography and poems. Eti's solo exhibited, "Eastern Softness" displayed oriental paintings.

Highlight of Shaiful's exhibition is use of modern technology in the abstractions. His photo paintings are quite appealing. The artist has created the impression of a 'negative image' on a (2x3) glass surface. He has enlarged the image using photo-lab technology.

Using software like Photoshop, Shaiful has created abstract paintings applying colours like black, yellow and red.

Uniqueness of his exhibition was the use of images of Sultan Isa Khan's relics. The artist has taken photographs of the textures of historic edifices and using graphic animation has modified those to appear like human figures.

Delicate lines in Shaiful's drawings, mostly by ballpoint pen on regular papers, feature the human complexity. His style of drawing seems to have been influenced by renowned artist Kalidas Karmokar's printmaking.

Manuscripts of Shaiful's poems, a good number of ceramic works and installation works were also included at the exhibition.

The essence of Oriental art that features the divine beauty of nature has been aptly presented in Rubait Shaila Eti's exhibition, "Eastern Softness". Maintaining the Oriental style, Eti has tried to depict the harmony between the female form and fauna by using vibrant colours on wet papers. Fourteen paintings feature women in saree, doing hair, bathing, plucking flowers, at leisure, mingling with others and more. The impressive watercolour compositions have turned these ordinary female figures into divine creatures.

In "Practice at Museum", a series of two paintings, Eti has drawn legendary figures, using oxide colours on silk cloth.

Apart from female figures, Eti has portrayed flowers like pumpkin, dahlia and jhumko joba, maintaining the Oriental tradition of painting flora and fauna. Her image of red jhumko joba is unique.

Picture
Oriental painting by Rubaiat Shaila Eti (left) & Computer painting by M Shaiful Islam (right)