Spring has arrived at Galleri Kaya

Flowers are in bloom. So, it is the spring time for Galleri Kaya. The vivid colours of spring flowers, especially Shimul, Palash, Sonalu, Dahlia, Rose, Beli and Aparajita are being prominently displayed at the art space in Dhaka's Uttara as the latest exhibition titled "Flowing & Static" is underway at Galleri Kaya. 

Twelve modern and contemporary artists of Bangladesh have blissfully rendered their inner feelings to create picturesque paintings inspired by the observations of nature. Apart from realistic depiction of blossoming beauty, several artists have used close-up views of tree branches, containing patches of colourful flowers, and then blurred some portion of the paintings by splashing colour pigments. 

The exhibition, which was inaugurated on 2 April, will remain open every day from 11am to 4pm till 7 May. Art lovers, collectors and visitors are encouraged to visit the exhibition maintaining hygiene rules and of course wearing face masks.   

A selection of artworks depicted in watercolour, pastel, charcoal, acrylic and mixed media on canvas and paper are being showcased in this exhibition, which displays the works of both prominent and promising artists such as Samarjit Roy Choudhury, Hashem Khan, Hamiduzzaman Khan, Abdus Shakoor Shah, Iffat Ara Dewan, Ranjit Das, Sheikh Afzal Hossain, Aloptogin Tushar, Anisuzzaman Anis, Monidipa Dasgupta, Shohag Parvez, and Shahanoor Mamun.

TBS Picks

Out of a collection of 64 artworks, TBS picks three paintings by three artists that stand out.

"Red Rose" by Hamiduzzaman Khan

Hamiduzzaman is a workaholic and always wants to create something novel and phenomenal. By inventing new forms and exploring novel themes, he has acquired a distinguished position in our art milieu. He has the quality of internalising the inner essence of nature in many of his works. What is noteworthy is how he masters a deep capacity to feel and respond to the beauty of nature in one of his works titled 'Red Rose' for the ongoing exhibition. 

Celebration of contrasting colours and contour lines has created a new emotional and psychological depth in the 76X56 cm work. His watercolour seems to be a flowing stream. He has tried to capture the mystery of blossoms coupled with portraying a tonal gradation of colours that have ultimately created a fascinating game of light and shades.  

Solitude and serenity are two vital components in the composition. Lighting is a prominent feature in the work and the artist generally prefers glowing light in a mystifying setting.

As an imaginative painter, Hamiduzzaman always searches for the mysterious chapter of creation in his voyages through the diverse courses of nature. 

"Flower-2" by Sheikh Afzal Hossain

Harmony with rhythmic compositional balance is one of the vital components of Sheikh Afzal Hossain's works. The objects of his works remain in a melodramatic mood, which is repeatedly focused on the golden section of his painting. As a master of portrait painting, Afzal usually prefers luminous light and soothing background to highlight the personality of someone's or something's character. To diffuse the glow of spring, he has depicted blooming Shimul flowers with twigs on pastel. The artist muses to demonstrate the blossoming bliss on his 39X 54 cm canvas.

Afzal's landscape alludes to harmony in nature. The usage of vast landscaping space in his floral composition conveys a great sense of rapture. The shadowy drawings of branches are lyrical and spontaneous while the vermillion red dazzles over the yellow ochre surface of the painting. 

"Floral-19" by Anisuzzaman Anis

Anisuzzaman Anis has tirelessly experimented with lines, forms, spaces, textures, tones and overall shapes and designs. Taking a keen interest in European woodcut style with a strong Eastern influence, he has turned towards minimalism and established it as a personal hallmark. Besides printmaking, Anis is an avid painter. The diverse facets of nature, including the seasonal blooms and resting boats, are recurring themes of his watercolour paintings.

Over the years, he has experimented with using soft and minimal colours in watercolour to express his artistic thoughts. The 76X56 cm watercolour painting on display delineates floral rhythms over a vast hilly landscape. 

The artists masterfully blended the hues of sap green with the tints of cobalt blue in a way that the composition itself has created different perspectives. The soft use of colours together with a balanced composition has attributed a poetic quality in the work.