Ronni Ahmmed's solo exhibition at Bengal Art Lounge

Bengal Art Lounge has organised a solo exhibition of paintings, installations and video by Ronni Ahmmed. Mario Palma, Ambassador of the Republic of Italy in Bangladesh, and Shamsul Wares, Dean of Environmental Science and Design and Professor of Architecture at the University of Asia Pacific, jointly inaugurated the exhibition titled “Gods and Beast” on September 12.

Renowned for his colourful depiction of imaginary worlds and fantastic creatures, Ronni Ahmmed has long been preoccupied with the mythical texts that serve as foundations to human civilisations. In a gallery space completely remodeled for the occasion, “Gods and Beasts” takes Ahmmed's inquiry a step further. The exhibition addresses many of the great religious and spiritual traditions that have crossed Bengal at one point or the other, in particular Buddhism, Hinduism and Sufism. The viewer is plunged into frenzied depictions of religious scenes often rendered with a colour palette reminiscent of the American comic books of mid-20th century. Far from being an obstacle to accessing the superior meaning of these celebrated scenes, Ahmmed's “cosmic comic” aesthetics lays it bare.

In a poignant video work, the artist blends the mundane with images of war, famines and other of the worst man-made horrors. Taking on tragedy through the prism of the absurd, the video blurs any attempt of rational comprehension. It forces the viewer to delve into feelings, or intuitions, in a pursuit not dissimilar to the religious endeavor. “Gods and Beasts” browses through centuries of spiritual tradition with a fresh, new look. It takes the public into Ronni Ahmmed's visions, which he has developed with an authentic devotional approach.

The exhibition, open daily from 12-8pm, will continue until October 17.