Songs of innocence in buoyant colours
The figures are dear to the heart of the artist, with unique depictions of fish nets, fish, sky, fisher-women, cats, crescent moon and drooping water lilies. The human figures have spindly limbs, oblong faces and heavy-lidded eyes. Even the birds, the white and gray cranes are unique. These take her back to her blissful childhood in Chandpur and her visits to her village during her adult years. Even though she dwells in the cement jungles of the city, her mind and vision encompass the countryside with its rivers and rain.
The lines are simple and pure with the combination of dots that she takes from folk art and the aborigine art of Australia. The dots are also influenced by pointillism of European art of the 19th century. Farida's work is full of dreams and hopes that take you away to dwell blissfully, for some time, in the world of riversides and simple fisher folk. For quite some time, she has been preoccupied with the life of Sufia, a simple village girl, who makes her living by selling fish. It is a joy to be in the gallery, surrounded by the buoyant work, bursting with joie de vivre.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. The subjects have some changes and variations, even though she continues portraying the lives of fishermen, their hopes and frustrations. She appreciates many other artists but paints in her own individual way, such as the sweeping nets, and the flying birds. "I paint my own way, trying to portray the dawn or the dusk and also the joys and sorrows of simple people. I want peace and harmony, elements that are hankered after by many on this earth today. In doing this I've used a lot of brown and black, bringing in blue and orange for variations. The blue and the ash depict the monsoon that brings in the integral element of rain-washed harmonious days," says Farida.
"I've brought in fish, crow, suspended bridge and other elements from the countryside. The girl is the symbol of peace. As a student in India, I saw many women going about their work and this still inspires me. Sufia has been my heroine in particular. I want to convey the feeling of contentment to my viewers, even as they stand a few moments before my work," she adds.
Syed Manzoorul Islam, commenting on Farida's work, says, "She has picked up elements from her earlier phases such as the fishing net, boats and the girl Sufia, and presented them in a more organised fashion. Her colour combination is striking, in fact, breathtaking. Her work has a strong narrative content due to her training in Shan-tiniketan."
Farida has done her Master's in Baroda and her Ph D in Shantineketan. She has had five solo exhibitions and innumerable joint exhibits. She has received seven awards, including a gold medal.