“To the Root of Art” opens today

Group art exhibition “To the Root of Art” opens today at the La Galerie of the Alliance Française de Dhaka. The exhibit will display thirty artworks -- by Laila Sharmeen, Md.Tayabuzzaman Khan Topu, Mini Karim , Samiran Chowdhury and  Zebun Nahar Nayem, who have worked on acrylic on canvas, watercolour, charcoal media, terracotta and acrylic on paper.

Laila Sharmeen seeks solace in the beauty and harmony of nature. Her 'mantra' for peace and serenity in this world of unrest is Datta Dayadvam Damyata (give, sympathise, control).  Sharmeen's work shows a modernist preoccupation with time, flux, the loss of a centre and disappearance of faith and a concern for beauty and truth, imagination and solitude. Through terracotta, Topu wants to dig out his inner feelings, very personal and free, at the same time the very traditional feelings of Bengali people in his artworks. Some of Mini Karim's artworks represent her own thoughts. Every so often she feels amazed by love of nature. Bright colours have been used in her artworks to create a distinctive tone. There is a kind of romanticism in Samiran's paintings and thus he loves to paint for all. Through his paintings, Samiran seeks to convey the message that he is becoming more innovative, using his space to increasingly interact with his colours and forms. Zebun Nahar Nayem believes it is long overdue to stop putting the stereotypes 'weaker-bodied' or 'the gentler sex' in the same line with women. She posits that the essence of women is about power and strength. Zebun says women, exactly like the women she paints on her canvases, are champions.

The exhibition will be open to all till October 10.