Collage workshop at Savar

Monirul Islam (R) guiding the participants at the collage workshop

The 17 invited artists included Hamiduzzaman Khan, Mohammed Eunus, Rafi Haque, Ranjit Das, Alakesh and other young, active artists. 'I didn't want to touch or influence the creation of mature artists,' Monir said, 'I helped more in the technical side and in the exchange of ideas on art. The collage involved pasting of paper or other items on board along with the rest of the painting to add dimension and volume to the art work.'

Monir said that he too learnt a lot from the workshop. The artists had come out of the studios and worked in a new atmosphere, trying to do something that they had never done before. Sometimes Monir helped the artists. The medium was different and lending a hand increased the appeal of the collage work. Trying out chalk powder, zinc oxide, red oxide (brick powder), the blue we use as dye for whitening our white clothes was an experience by itself.

Hamiduzzaman Khan, the well-known sculptor, talking about his experience at the workshop, said, 'We were lucky to get Monirul Islam to join us. Working with local materials, the sheets and paints, was also mind-expanding. Some of our materials and techniques were the same but the paintings had individual characteristics. I myself did a number of paintings dealing with forms, using red and orange. We had a lot of freedom and did not necessarily stick to collage only, although the 3-D effect of collage was indeed marvellous and unique. Sometimes they reminded one of sculpture.'

Mohammed Eunus said, ' We have the guidance of a major artist, which was not the case with the other workshops in Bangladesh. Earlier, we worked together in camps. There is a lot of freedom currently in the use of materials.' In one of his works, he had combined three squares of canvas and had used actual musical discs to bring in the theme of musical notes.

Tayyaba Begum Lipi, who won the coveted award at the last Asian Biennale for Bangladesh, had done a woman's figure with a jute doll pinned on it to signify that women have a confined life like Egyptian mummies. The body of the woman itself was stiff and bound like that of a mummy while the eyes and hair were wild. Women have very little say in major decisions, Lipi believes. She said, 'If we had more time, we could have been more bold and experimental and gone beyond the paintings and done installations too,' she said, adding, 'The interaction with the other artists is inspiring and informative. We four women artists-- Jolly, Nilu, Shulekha and I, who are sharing a room at Savar-- talked late into the night analysing our work.'

Dilara Begum Jolly, from Chittagong, said, 'Since we've crossed the river in boats, I brought in boats in my painting, which could also be seen as images of women's eyes. I've combined the two forms together. I've been to workshops before in Sweden, India and conducted a workshop myself in Chittagong and I find them all very enriching and enjoyable. Learning about the feelings and experiences of others is very moving. It is not often that you can get together at leisure to share your ideas and emotions.

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The workshop was indeed unique and inspiring.