Reminiscing Tagore through art and 'Rabindranama'

A unique exhibition titled "Rabindranama" is currently underway at the capital's Kala Kendra. The exhibition features portraits of the kabiguru Rabindranath Tagore, as seen through the vision of 68 eminent and novice artists. The event organised by Kibria Printmaking Studio, commemorates the birth anniversary of the poet.

All the artworks on display are based on etching, print and aquatint. Apart from the paintings drawn by the artists, 19 paintings and self-portraits of Tagore were also displayed in the exhibition.

The exhibition showcased artworks by artists including Samarjit Roy Chowdhury, Rafiqun Nabi, Monirul Islam, Abul Barak Alvi, Hamiduzzaman Khan, Shahid Kabir, Nisar Hossain, Jamal Ahmed, Sheikh Afzal, Shishir Bhattacharya, Wakilur Rahman, Ranjit Das, Dhali Al Mamun, Ivy Zaman, Dilara Begum, Fareha Zeba, Atia Islam, Gulshan Hossain, Farzana Rahman Bobby, Jaya Shahrin Haque, Rashid Amin, Tarun Ghosh, AH Dhali Tamal, Roni Ahmed among many others.

"Tagore was closely intertwined with the art culture and in order to understand his relationship with fine arts, we decided to bring forward some of his works," shared Wakilur Rahman, Director, Kala Kendra.

This exhibition is an attempt to make artwork more accessible to the general public. The artworks on display are originally a part of a folio introduced by Kibria Printmaking Studio wherein several artists came together to present their visuals of Tagore. It also intends to promote the purchase of this folio in order to support local art.

Over the years, portraits have been one of the oldest forms of art and self-portraits and are becoming increasingly popular these days. In a nutshell, this exhibition presents the history of portraits through an art collective prepared by artists across several generations. It is a unique blend of their striking differences and subtle similarities.

It is indeed remarkable to come across different renditions of the same portrait, through the aesthetic lens of different artists. "Personally speaking, I have always been inspired by nature and tried to incorporate this theme in my portrait," Farzana reflected. This was just one instance of how artists came up with various versions of a single person, by focusing on diverse elements.

Lastly, the exhibition also features new artworks celebrating Tagore. These are based on multiple media and extend a broader perspective as to how the art scene has changed over the past few years.

The exhibition will be available for viewers till June 12, from 4 PM to 8 PM.