Illustration-works of eight artists displayed

Illustrations of eight artists seen at Alliance Francaise

The illustrators of the exhibition included Mustafa Zaman and Ronni Ahmed (who illustrated their own work and those of others) and eight others, like Abhijit Chowdury, Kawsar Ahmed, Manik Ratan. The text is in Bangla and French, while the illustrations are in delectable water-colour washes, sharp pen-and-ink and dramatic crayon sketches. Mustafa Zaman said that the artists had learnt how to work for comic strips and the secret behind having a more subtle, outgoing and cosmopolitan effect in their work. The end products were sometimes easy to comprehend, and at others more complex--as when Ronni Ahmed added his own Surrealistic but much more fascinating bold black lines, which were certainly a brave departure from the stereotyped delineation.

Ronni and Mustafa, the leading artists, at first illustrated their own works. Ronni's Selimer Dukkher Kahini had the story line of relationship of power in a family and a workplace introduces one to the world of the absurd and alienation of individuals. A nervous employee presents his retarded son's discarded childhood garments. The absurdity of the tale begins from here. Instead of files, the boss has been given baby clothes: the journey of the story emanates from there. As the main character had lost the files, he gets sacked from office.

However, when the protagonist of the narrative returns home, he finds his estranged son (who had been lost for 12 years) waving the lost garments; later he flaunts a box of sweetmeats--which are normally offered in our eastern society as a gesture of felicitation. Selim goes to retrieve the clothes and discovers that his boss is trying to wear the baby chemise. The ending of the series of illustrations is in sweeps of black with interweaving fine gray strokes.

Different episodes have been presented in different mediums--gray pencil, blue, red and yellow water-colour washes, felt and etched pen strokes. The one with the predominating pink and scarlet ones are done by Mustafa, the black-and white portion being that by Srabon, while the cute, cuddly and crazy, potato-like images are Ronni's own overpowering Surrealistic contributions. The effect is certainly out of this world in the context of Dhaka. Three other artists' works went into Ronni's story.

Parato Bon and Golito Bhai by Dantasha Rowshan, is about our social crises, where neighbouring young men get on drugs and alcohol; and eventually end up becoming a menace for the simple and conservative young women in our urban society. Unwanted offering of flowers, the sticking out of tongues by the local Casanova-turned-street-bully has the finale of the mastan lying helplessly drunk and dissipated on a dark lane -- with no one visible at the overlooking window -- as a frog brings in a tiny glass of wine. The story line is to stir up our social consciousness, as Ronny explains.

Tian says that Alliance Francaise hopes to make a book out of this different and unusual attempt at comic illustrations.