A group show of twelve artists

Takir Hossain

Group exhibition definitely creates a scenario of exchanging views and thinking process among the participating painters.
   The exhibition is mainly special because, all participants were the students of same base and same institution.
   All of them were trained by the same teachers of the institution. They are different in their works, themes, techniques and personal experiences. But friendship plays the vital role to hold such kind of exhibition in the city of Dhaka. Let's look back on their works and themes.
   From the inception, realistic pictures of Bangla's scenic beauty as well as nubile women in all their curvaceous beauty, out of the metropolis Bauls and other mendicants, including the neglected people in our society, have emerged from the evocative paint brush of the supremely macho Jamal Ahmed, whose main aim, when at the canvas, is to portray the touching and remarkable sights around us.
   Mujibur Rahman is only one participant in the exhibition who is a sculptor. He is well known for his thematic motif sculptures. His prime concern is form and theme in the exhibition. He is fascinated by romanticism and human relationship. Romance and its mysterious phases persuade him to thinking something novel and refreshing. His casts in metal and wood take a different turn from the artistry of his strong and confident hands.
   Mostafizul Haque's work is forceful not only because of his bold use of colour and mastery of shadows and depth but because of the unique way in which he recognises as his subject. He has tried to keep up an excellent co-existing between each other paintings. Mostafiz has been narrated many stories by his paintings. He has been contained this extreme beauty in his imaginative and artistic mind which completely reflected on his affluent canvases.
   Mohammad Eunus has been a prolific painter and always try to carry an individual hallmark in his works. His work reflects a contemplative and thinking mind, one that searches for the right relation between line, space and texture. The colours of his canvas give us a quixotic and imposing view. A number of works reveal the silence and emptiness. After viewing the works, one could realises the simplicity and the beauty of simplicity. Simplicity is splendor, and that is why after a long time, we could memorise these creations.
   Rezaul Haque's work expresses the aesthetic beauty of fishing- a major profession for our rural areas. By means of his sweeping brush strokes and warm colours, the canvas is transformed. Contemplative themes are blended with textures, colours and tones to encompass a vision of life shorn off sentimentality and which is by no means garish as much as being vibrant with living beauty.
   Mina is fascinated by rickshaw, wheel, working people and some touchy parts of Dhaka. She closely observes all kinds of changing in her surrounding atmosphere. She tries to capture her personal sufferings, anguish and despair. Her works are marked by intelligent use of line and texture. Various familiar and unfamiliar forms are also scattered everywhere on the surface. Mina has always been a careful observer of her living city, and her colours are always vibrant and vivacious.
   Nasreen Begum, who encouraged a group of promising artists by her new-fangled approach to the Oriental technique, now, is trying to come to terms with realism.
   Shammy likes to draw feminine and its various phases through the oriental style and technique.
   Kuhu's search for beauty, and for contemplation on truth has influenced her to hold up in her images a vibrant blithe picture of splendour. Kuhu tries to present synchronisation of colour in her works with little pretension. She has used colours with subdued splendour for giving a distinct message through her works, which for many years have been impressing colour aficionados both at home and abroad.
   Style, technique and imagery are the ingredients that beautiful works are made of and Alamgir, a veteran portrait painter. The delicacy of his line and mind-boggling colours are derived from the natural world and has evolved from a more traditional style to semi-abstractions that heighten landscape forms. As a nature adorer, Alamgir tries to narrate the colour synchronisation in his works.
   Jalal Uddin has a great attraction for portraying the female figure. The theme of a large number of his paintings theme is mainly women. Usually, women came to his paintings as largely and significantly.
   A dreamy and nature lover, Mamun Kaiser is always searching in his voyages through the vast diverse ocean of nature for enriching his works. His inspired images stir up a symbiotic relationship with nature, a marriage of panorama and vision that enables the artist to use nature's most elegant views with advantage.
   The 10-day show remains open from 12.00pm to 8.00pm every day till January 12.

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The beginning of Bangla poetry and poetry in Nordic languages is almost at the same time. Particularly, our Charyapada and Swedish first literary rudiment Rok Ruenston was written in the same period. The beginning of other Nordic poetry got the place a little bit later, writes Anisur Rahman

This is an occasion of sharing ideas of poetry of two different parts of the world, when power of money and its prejudice dominate life and every thing all around us. Today money making is treated as the ultimate goal. Showing respect to cultural heritage and glorious history of a nation has become almost elusive. In such a situation, what use is it arranging poetry festival or gathering of poets?
   In today's world, we find ugly and un-realistic competition among some powerful nations to be superior showing dishonour to others' heritage. No, we do not blame the people of these powerful nations for this game- we put the blame on the ruling elements. Now money and riches are the scale of measuring superiority. But the creative world always throws a challenge to this so-called way of supremacy measurement. Here we find that the creative world always remains far away from the powers. Poetry presents this reality before the society in feelings and expressions. Exchange of ideas and celebration of creativity provide us with this opportunity. The society needs to keep developing ideas for advancement. In absence of poetry, it cannot do this great job. This deprivation in the East is less than that of the West. In this context, the East, particularly Bangladesh has the chance of getting satisfied despite having lots of difficulties in life.
   Our air, our skies are occupied in the process of pollution. Someone has anchored their boats at the coasts of our seas in the guise of good will. They have pointed their eyes at wealth underneath of our soil. But, they never should try to claw at our cultural heritage as all know the history of Mother Language Movement in 1952. Anyway, our subject is to focus on the encounter with Nordic and Bangla poetry. How did the first encounter with Nordic poetry happen? Certainly, it did happen through our great teacher and the gateway to Bangla poetry Rabindranath Tagore. We remember the occasion of his winning Nobel Prize for his poetry collection Gitanjali in 1913. About a hundred years have passed since then. We could not find such encountering with the poetry in different languages of Nordic countries and Bangla poetry to note in past hundred years. Even, Tagore has his place only at the Nobel Museum in Stockholm, though we study the literary works of Norwegian poet and playwright Henrik Ibsen, Danish talent Hans Christian Anderson, Swedish playwright August Strindberg and those of local other in our country.
   Bengali readers are totally unaware of Greenish, Finish and Ice literature. In recent years, some Bengali Swedish are translating Swedish literature into Bangla vis-à-vis Bangla literature into Swedish. Here, noted translator Liakat Hossain deserves the mention. Specially, I would like to tell about his Bangla translation of poems from Nordic countries including Sweden, Norway, Greenland, Iceland, Denmark and Finland. The book titled 'Nordic Kabita' (Dhaka, Pathshala, 2003). It is not the occasion to discuss the qualities of the works, but it should be noted that this book is somehow a necessary presentation of Nordic poems to a Bengali reader. Nordic world has no idea about our own poet Shamsur Rahman, though our readers and poets know Swedish poet Tomas Trnstromer well. In the recent years Henrik Ibsen has won his place as a poet among Bengali readers and intellectuals through the publication of 'Ibsener Kabita' (Dhaka, Mowla Brothers, 2006). It is also learnt that West Bengal's chief minister (who is also a poet) translated some of Ibsen's poems much earlier.
   Rabindranath visited Sweden, Norway and Denmark several times. His poems are available in English and assumingly in Swedish with the inclusion of inputs of Swedish translators as well. We do not know whether his poetry is available in other Nordic languages or not. We have no information regarding translation of poems of any other Bengali poet in Nordic languages or Nordic poets in Bangla language in large scale. It is to be noted that a delegation of Swedish poets comprising Arne Johnsson, Henrik C. Enbohm, Clara Diesen, Niklas Soderberg and Liakat Hossain attended the poetry festival in Dhaka in February 2007. We strongly believe that it is the beginning of literary exchange between Nordic world and Bangladesh.
   What we see, if we have a look over the western world, alongside Nordic poetry? The western world has the idea about the treasures under the land. Can they have a look over our books in the shelf before their eyes? It could not be learnt. In Nordic countries, the people are very sensitive about their mother tongue. We know they show utmost respect to their own heritage and culture. In June 2008, Swedish Writers Union is organising the Writers and Literary Translator's International Congress with a target of the participation of around one thousand writers across the world to put a call for reading literature in each individual's respective mother tongue.
   The situation in Bangladesh is very much disappointing. We find a fashion among some people who try to represent Bangladesh writing literature in English instead of their respective mother tongue Bangla. A particular quarter is trying to dislocate our unique cultural heritage as well as master pieces in the name of image building abroad. They get patronisation from forces connected with imperial legacy. Our call is simple and clear that only Bangla literature can represent the literature of Bengalees. Some, neglecting Bangla, may find their place anywhere else as they wish. Tagore wrote in Bangla and had excellent command over English. But, he represented Bangla, its land and its people. He imitated their life in his poetry. Here the question of patriotism arises which is suggestive of finding out the root cause.
   The beginning of Bangla poetry and poetry in Nordic languages found the place at almost the same time. Particularly, our Charyapada and Swedish first literary rudiment Rok Ruenston was written in the same period. The beginning of other Nordic poetry got the place a little bit later.
   We are happy that literature syllabi at our universities include Henrik Ibsen and August Strindberg. Hans Christian Anderson is also much popular here. But, it should not be considered as enough. The focus on poets like Tomas Transtromer and poets in other Nordic languages deserve introduction at our academic as well as creative publishing world. On the other hand, I could not find a single notable inclusion of Tagore or other literary talents either in academic or creative publishing sector in Nordic countries. Do we not deserve it? We deserve it as you know that Bangla poetry carries the tradition of thousand years of poetic richness.
   Now the global situation is like --- try to say 'yes, good bye'- not good bye to life but to the frustrating trend of today's world. Note the pledge for encountering with poetry, with hopes, with dreams for a better sharing of ideas in Bangla as well as Nordic languages. Let's record the festivity of the first ever Nordic-Bangla poetry festival today. Stay well.
   The article was presented at the Nordic Bangla Poetry Festival held at Alliance Francaise de Dacca on December 11, 2007. www.geocities.com/anisbangla

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Cultural Correspondent

As part of the Dhaka International Film Festival, the festival organiser Rainbow Film Society will arrange a six-day workshop for the aspiring young filmmakers, film critics and journalists of Bangladesh and the other south Asian countries in Dhaka from January 12.
   The workshop, titled Dhaka Talent Campus, will be conducted by a good number of internationally renowned local and foreign filmmakers and personalities.
   A good number of festival films will be screened during the workshops, which will have four sessions and each of them will be of 90 minutes.
   Discussions on the development of scripts, cinematography, digital photography, direction, acting, sound and the aesthetics of editing will be included.
   The organisers will select 25 participants for the workshop. 'I think this will be a great opportunity for the younger filmmakers and film critics of the country to learn about the art of film,' hopes Badal Rahman, director of Dhaka Talent Campus.
   People who are under 30 years and have fluency both in writing and speaking English can enrol their names by paying Taka 500 by January 9. Application forms will be available at the Rainbow Film Society at 75 Science Laboratory Road in Dhaka.

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Penn to head Cannes film fest jury

Agence France-Presse . Paris

Sean Penn, the Oscar-winning US actor-turned director once known as Hollywood's 'enfant terrible', is to head the jury of the 2008 Cannes filmfest, organisers said in a statement Thursday.
   A blunt talker with a sharp political conscience and a career that has gone from strength to strength, Penn seems perfect for the role next May at a film extravaganza as well known for being a window on the world as for its glam and its buzz.
   'In the last few years,' said Penn in response, 'there has been a rejuvenation of cinema building worldwide, increasingly thoughtful, provocative, moving and imaginative ... A new generation of filmmaking may have begun.'
   'The Cannes Film Festival has long been the epicentre in the discovery of new waves of filmmakers,' he added, 'I very much look forward to participating.'
   The world's paramount movie festival, kicking off on the French Riviera on May 14, wraps up on May 25 with the jury awarding the Palme d'Or prize for best film.
   The former Hollywood 'bad boy', whose wrenching portrayal of a vengeful father seeking revenge in Clint Eastwood's 2003 movie 'Mystic River' earned him an Oscar, is currently full in the spotlight of the film industry.
   Now aged 47, Penn's latest go at directing in the harrowing drama 'Into The Wild', dominates nominations for this month's Screen Actors Guild Awards, regarded as a key Oscars indicator.
   
   Once best known for his marriage to pop star Madonna, his divorce was last week announced with his wife of 11 years, 'Forest Gump' actress Robin Wright Penn with whom he has two children aged 14 and 16.
   
   Born in Los Angeles to actress Eileen Ryan and director Leo Penn, he dreamt of being a lawyer but then took up acting, debuting as a military cadet in 'Taps' (1981) and winning some fame as a 'surfer dude' in 'Fast Times at Ridgemont High' (1982).
   
   But it was his stormy four-year marriage to 'Material Girl' Madonna that made the headlines until he took starring roles and enthused critics as a cop in 'Colors' (1988) or a brutal sergeant in Vietnam in Brian de Palma's 1989 film 'Casualties of War.'
   
   In 1991 he made his directorial debut with 'The Indian Runner', a Vietnam war-themed drama inspired by a song from his friend Bruce Springsteen.
   
   It was also in the 1990s that he won a first Oscar nomination for 'Dead Man Walking' (1995) and another for 'Sweet and Lowdown' (1999).
   
   A performer with a keen social conscience who makes no bones about his criticism of the Bush administration, Penn last year paid a visit to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and in 2005 penned his thoughts on Iran after a visit there.
   
   His 2004 Oscar was seen as marking his acceptance as a major talent by an industry that seldom rewards its unruliest sons.
   
   Penn, the Cannes festival's artistic director Thierry Fremaux told AFP, 'represents the independent American cinema as well as a vision of America which we like.'
   
   The brooding actor had snubbed the Oscars on the three previous occasions he was nominated - the third was for 'I Am Sam' in 2001 - and was an absent focus of the awards in 2003 after paying a controversial pre-war visit to Iraq to condemn the looming war.
   
   'I never thought I'd be sitting here today missing Richard Nixon,' he said in Cannes in 2004.

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