Good paintings come in Small Formats

Walking into a Dhaka art gallery felt like a new experience this time. Instead of the usual sight of small scattered groups observing white walls adorned with paintings, the place buzzed with visitors.

People were everywhere, deeply absorbed in examining each piece of art. So, when the renowned artist Hamiduzzaman Khan praised Galleri Kaya as perhaps Dhaka's liveliest art spot during his opening remarks at the 'Small Format' exhibition, it didn't come as a surprise. 

This art exhibition, showcasing the works of 32 different artists from both sides of Bengal, will continue till 5 April.

The name 'Small Format' really says it all. Don't expect to see any massive paintings stretching 10 feet here. Instead, the artworks are quite petite, averaging around 10 by 7 inches, and none of them exceed the dimensions of 15 by 11 inches. The collection of 142 pieces showcased does not really come from any grand concept or specific idea from the artists. 

While looking around, the sketches of portraits, impressionist pieces, and bits of nature paintings stood out. In my experience, these galleries are usually brimming with colour. However, it was fascinating how the artists confidently incorporated hues of black and white in so many of the pieces, while still creating beautiful art. 

According to Goutam Chakraborty, the director of Galleri Kaya, many of these pieces sprang from impulsive instincts or were simply sketches done on a whim.

"Sometimes artists choose to work on small formats. It might be certain materials that entice them to do so. Some of these are mere scribbles, some of these are experimental pieces," said Goutam.

The 'Small Format' exhibition was a project of more than 10 years in the making, and it was obvious that a lot of care had gone into putting it together. It's a challenge to select a variety of artworks and arrange them so they all seem to belong together in one show, but they managed it beautifully.

There were standout pieces in the exhibit too, such as the creations by legendary artists like K G Subramanyan and Murtaja Baseer, catching everyone's eye. And the tales behind how some of these artworks were acquired? Absolutely intriguing.

Some of the pieces by Hamiduzzaman Khan that were on show can be traced back to his student days in the 1960s. There was a time he went to London for medical reasons and ended up staying for a month. During that stay, he would often spend his time in a nearby art gallery, silently painting his thoughts and emotions onto the canvas. 

When it was time to leave, he left his paintings with the gallery, harbouring a small hope that maybe, if fate allowed, he would return to England one day to see them again. But that reunion never came to be.

That was until, out of the blue, Goutam got a surprise phone call from a friend who often attended auctions in London. This friend had stumbled upon some of Khan's paintings and wanted to know if Goutam would be interested in bidding for them. Seizing what he saw as a golden opportunity, Goutam was determined not to let this chance slip through his fingers.

"Had it not been for that auction, I probably would have never seen these paintings of mine ever again. There was no other source for the paintings to have reached me," said Khan in regards to his 'once-lost' artworks.

TBS Picks (Artists)

Chittagong hill tracts area by Hamiduzzaman Khan (1963)

Medium: Watercolour on paper

This is expressionism and is a vivid description of our landscape. You can see the cattleman tending to his herd of cows. You can see the water bodies and the hills of Chattogram in the backdrop. I wanted to capture such a scene. There isn't much detailing over here though, just impressions. 

Women with bird by Ranjit Das (2019)

Medium: Linocut

Linocut is a part of printmaking and has some distinctive qualities. I used a sharp object, kind of like a nail cutter, on the rubber surface and carved out the white spaces. It kind of resembles a woodcut. About the title, I believe the bird is a symbol of peace and the face of the woman you see here resembles a bit of despondence. But amidst the sadness, there also lies hope. Just like life, which is also bittersweet.

Expression by Aditya Basak (2019)

Medium: Charcoal on paper

Aditya is a friend of mine. He's from India and is masterful when it comes to printmaking. There's a message here. He has visited Bangladesh on multiple occasions and has conducted many workshops. The sunglasses represent Aditya observing Dhaka through his inner eye. He probably has memories from the locations he has mapped out.

Untitled- 3 by K G Subramanyan (1968)

Medium: Etching

K G Subramanyan is like a teacher of mine. His organicity combined with his understanding of geometry is very potent in this painting. There are some structural nuances. This artwork is like a cinematic storyline progression in itself. This depicts the activities of one woman. The bars distinguishing the black and white colours represent timelines and individual stories happening within the artwork. There's darkness, represented by the shadows and then there's light, represented by the white spaces.