VAST gallery in Thimphu
Weeklong retreat to draw inspiration
Their sojourn in Bhutan will culminate in an exhibition in Dhaka
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| Artists from Bangladesh and Bhutan interacting at VAST gallery in Thimphu |
Bangladeshi Artists 1 October, 2011 – Art works of eminent Bangladeshi artists, inspired by Bhutan, will be exhibited in Dhaka, Bangladesh soon.
Eleven artists, who left for Dhaka on September 29, were on retreat in Bhutan for a week.
According to the organiser and sponsor of the retreat, Goutam Chakraborty, who is also an artist and director of Gallerkaya, a contemporary art centre where the exhibition will be held, the artists were involved in a regular chain of activities in a busy city.
“A retreat provides scope for exchange in aspects like philosophy, development and socio-economics,” he said. “These are things that keep impressions on creative minds.”
Bhutan, he said, was the retreat centre because of its landscape and people. “But the creative products are not only landscape paintings,” he said. “Each artist thinks and perceives differently, and this can be reflected in their work in abstract ways.”
The artists will be contributing two works each, some of which were already done during their stay in Bhutan, while some sketched in their diaries.
Goutam Chakraborty said the exhibition would have diversity because of the artists involved. “Most of them have a signature quality.”
The art scene is Bangladesh, which relies on the local market, he said, was doing better than the country’s economic strength. “If one has quality and merit, one can make a living by painting,” he said. “Bangladeshi art has a track and trail with certain portions of the Indian art movement, for the fact that many artists were trained in Kolkata art college in India. And politically it’s independent now, but erstwhile it was under Pakistan and before that India.”
Bhutanese modern art, he said, was still finding its way. “It needs to go further,” he said. Citing the exhibition going on at VAST gallery, he said, there was too much variety and a formation was missing. “They’ll find their own way and develop a signature style,” he said.
Traditional art, meanwhile, was of interest to the group, who visited the Zorig Chusom institute in Thimphu. Goutam Chakraborty will be organising another trip early next year, where traditional thangka painters will interact with modern artists from Bangladesh for a project.
The thangka, he said, was one of the traditional arts practised within the Bhutanese territory, which has stories to be revealed, and which could help artists find ways in their artistic pursuit.
The Zorig Chusom, the artist said, was interesting since it had a target, and that the group appreciated it. “The institute’s aim is to produce skilled people, who will meet the demands of local and international market, and put Bhutan’s strong heritage and culture forward,” he said. “There is a definite destination and a certain methodology to get there.”
Source: kuenselonline