Penchant for peace

Andaleeb says, "I intentionally introduced some elements from Bangladesh such as the rickshaw or the feeling of the rain as the freshly washed sensation in 'Monsoon rain'. Another had closed space despite the surrounding gold and bronze and this was to depict her feeling of congestion at the time that she was painting. My work in Japan was a progress from what had been seen in Dhaka: I simply progressed from the stage that I had reached earlier. I was naturally more experimental. My style and themes, working with textures and minimizing my figures was continued.

"There were lines with the spatula to represent recurrent feelings or roughly sketched images such as that of a boat or a man seen in motion. Realistic images were there only to relive the laying on of colours. I had used the contrast of black and white along with warm colours like shades of yellow. The white was there to bring in the Japanese penchant for peace."

Seen at Japan was also "Amar desh" which had splashes of lemon yellow combined with cadmium yellow, bringing in a passage of a boat through mustard fields. Blue, black and gray stood for land that had been spoilt somewhat and which lent contrast to the bright shades. The up and down play of texture work added rhythm. The visible form in vibrant oranges and red was a sinking sail. "Fulfillment" brought in a buoyant splash of white along with a slice of crescent moon, with hints of warm orange. The "Red city" series brought in the claustrophobic feeling of a Dhaka dweller who was overwhelmed with the cement jungles. There were hints of a house, a tall cracked building and other tiny forms in the composition. The bright colours expressed the need for space and understanding in the crowded metropolis with its mushrooming multistoried buildings.

Andaleeb says that the Bangladesh-Japanese exchange programme has been organised by GS Kabir and his wife, Sanaye Watanbe Kabir, for years now in Tokyo. The competition was open to all and she had been selected by a board in Japan. Normally the Bangladeshi painters are exhibited in Japan, while Japanese works are shown in Bangladesh.

Talking of her Japan trip, Andaleeb said "The people there appeared very contented with their life and work," Andaleeb remarks. "I spent a wonderful day with Kamizo, a senior artist, who teaches in Lebanon, and although I could not speak Japanese, sign language was adequate."

Dwelling on the artists who had inspired her of late, the artist says, "For the past few years I've been influenced by the French artist Soulages, and before that I liked the works of Mohammed Kibria and Kazi Giasuddin. I want to absorb the best from others and go in my own individual way, creating a style that will stand out as typically mine."