Moving on to the world of paints
Going into painting was at first something traumatic for Monir as everything new needs time. He was weary of doing thousands of prints and was glad for the change. In Spain he had no time or need to make new paints but coming to Bangladesh, he found new materials like bricks and sands from which he could make new paints. Thus, local materials helped him give tonal effects. Through experience he knew which materials would last long. This time he worked with gray board and within four months created 400 paintings. Monir could work better when in his village in Chandpur rather than when he was near the dictates of galleries and buyers in Dhaka.
Subject-wise Monir was more free this time than before. Every morning, in his mind, he had the visualisation of his work. This time he dealt with many more materials than he had used before, such as gray board, marble dust, rice turned to sepia colour with burning. He says, 'In Ajanta and Elora the artists did not go to London or Paris to get the tints. So why should we not use our own.' He says that he is fortunate that he is not confined either to the east or west. He believes that he does not have to identify his work as that of a Bangladeshi. He feels that art is a universal language and says, 'My art should be enjoyed and appreciated without bars of religion or nationality. Some eastern artists, after doing some very good work, will add some tantric design to drive home his origin but I don't think that this is necessary.'
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Working for a long time, Monir has many clients and collectors who know that he is from the orient. But they don't buy his work because he is from the east. The buyers ask him if he has some spiritual driving force behind his work and he always says 'no' to that. Yet he keeps in mind mysteries like how long the starlight takes to enter the world and why the world is caught up with physical turmoil and why it has not learnt from the conflicts of the past.
Asked which artists had impact on him, Monir says, that as a student he always admired Zainul Abedin's drawings and Mostafa Manwar's works. He said, that during his time as a student, they did not get the opportunity to examine great works in their originality but went by pictorial depictions in the pages of art books. He learnt to admire Rembrandt and Valesquez. Even Picasso was influenced by many sources, he points out, and from time to time, different artists had different impacts on him such as Klee and Mondrian.
Touching on the aspects of Spanish life that fascinates him, Monir says that he enjoys its Mediterranean food, siesta, the flamenco dance and the restful exchanges of repartee.