About Anukul
He is one of our most respected contemporary artists, who have been playing an important role in the current art scene of the country. Born in a village of Bagerhat in 1974, his art is highly influenced by the picturesque rustic views of rivers and village life.
“I was brought up in the rural environment of Bagerhat. In that atmosphere, the people of my locality were not aware of art. But I had a fascination for painting from my early age, and I used to draw rivers, rural life and village scenes. My uncle inspired me a lot to pursue my career in painting,” Anukul said, while talking to The Weekend Independent recently.
That enthusiasm and encouragement led him to complete his Bachelor and Masters degrees in Fine Arts from the University of Dhaka (DU).
Anukul has a skilled hand for drawing and painting. He is a close observer of reality and life. In his earlier works, he tried to anchor his aesthetics on known grounds, avoiding fantasy and exaggeration.
Throughout the decade, Anukul has been working on his consuming interest to retain the ancient art of Bangladesh. The painter believes in Bengali art and culture, and tries to keep himself away from western influences. These features differentiate him from other contemporary artists.
His present works dwell on the subject of relationship between human and nature. He puts his subjective emotions into his paintings. The essence of his paintings is the expression of inner meaning. His paintings are witness to the time of origin, conveying a sense of distance, a sense of loss, and gone sensibilities.
When asked about his previous works, Anukul said, “I did many nature-based and a few abstract paintings. The medium of my first solo exhibition, held at Zainul Gallery in 1998, was oil and acrylic. It is quite natural that brushing, rendering and techniques are changeable in terms of evolving themes and events. In the changing race of time, different time fragments, thought, expectation, satisfaction, love and hunger, all keep on changing.”
On the subject of his favoured mediums, the artist continued: “I have touched most of the mediums in my paintings. As I love to experiment, I always blend different types of colours, to give new identity to my works. But I like acrylic the most. I also prefer to work on simple paper, which I collect personally. I can portray my works better on such paper. I find paper to be more long-lasting and suitable.”
The creative artist has participated in many solo and group exhibitions in different parts of the world. Works by the noted artist have also been published in the special volume of ‘Art and the Islamic world’, a reputed international art magazine, published in the UK.
Anukul’s latest and 11th solo show, titled “An Urban Treat in Rural Maneuver”, was held last month at Shilpangan Art Gallery in the capital.
The 40 paintings showcased in the two-week long exhibition were close observations of rural Bengal in simple harmonic outlines, pastoral motifs, a tranquil atmosphere and childhood nostalgia. Anukul used brilliant symbols of rural lives in an urban context.
His creative expression, colour compositions, spaces and drawings have earned him an artistic identity of his own. Some of his paintings at the show, depicting summer, the sky, winter, Dhaka and Sadar Ghat got him rave reviews from both art critics and connoisseurs alike.“After a long break, I did my 11th solo exhibition at Shilpangan. I depicted rural lives in urban backgrounds in my paintings. The busy rickshaw-pullers, auto-drivers, the street hawkers, the bus passengers, the footpath walkers, the narrow lanes of old town with ruined buildings, etc, were represented in my paintings. I used charcoal, acrylic, bright colours and mixed media in semi abstract form in my paintings,” said Anukul.
Anukul is very hopeful about the present condition of art colleges in our country. He expects that Bangladeshi artists will dominate the international art arena soon.
“I am proud that we have such an art institution in our country, which is of international standard,” he said, referring to his alma mater, the Faculty of Fine Arts at DU. “Now, there are a lot of art colleges in our country to flourish our art. I am optimistic that the young artists will bring fame for our country,” he added.
“Now there are many art camps and exhibitions taking place in the country. Many artists are trying to introduce new kinds of art through their dexterity and creativity. Some institutions, like Bengal Art Foundation, Samdani Art Foundation and Britto Art Trust, are playing important role in promoting Bangladeshi art and artists. So, gradually we are improving in this sector,” Anukul said about the present state of art in the country.
PRESENT POSITION:
Freelance Artist.
Born: 10th January, 1974
2001 – 2011: Executive Manager,
Gallery Shilpangan
A Contemporary Art Gallery,
Dhaka Bangladesh.
EDUCATION:
BFA : 1994,
MFA : 1996
Faculty of Fine Art
University of Dhaka.
SOLO EXHIBITION
Anukul Chandra’s solo art show at Shilpangan
A two-week long solo drawing and painting exhibition titled ‘An Urban Treat in Rural Maneuver’ by artist Anukul Chandra Majumdar is now on at Shilpangan Gallery, Dhanmondi in the city. Hailing from a very remote area of Bagherhat, Anukul Chandra Majumdar has a passion for paintings from his childhood and he created a language for his paintings. He has used acrylic, oil, mixed media, and pastel on canvas for his paintings.
Anukul applies imagination. In his works, incomplete human forms and figures that are in motion can be usually seen. He focuses on subjects that have semi- surrealistic as well as surrealistic qualities. To include that feel of poetry to his paintings, he uses his fingers to mark coarse lines. The artist prefers acrylic, charcoal medium and prints. Black, blue, yellow, vermilion, crimson have a strong presence in his works. Sometimes, there is also the presence of brutal and horrifying imagery that are bold. What may often be referred to as ‘ugly’, such as unappealing appearances, obese figures, lazy unenergetic eyes, forms that are out of shape also are featured strongly in his works.
The exhibition will remain open to all everyday from 12pm to 8pm, until September 25.
Address: Shilpangan, House 7, Road 13 (New), Dhanmondi. l
MEJOR GROUP EXHIBITION
International
- Art Exhibition of Bangladesh at Mission-DES Art Chatillon France (2002).
- Indo-Bangla-Thai Art Exhibition 2002. At Birola Academy of Art & Culture Kolkata, India
- Kahal Art Exhibition 2014, Art Complex Center of Tokyo, Japan
- Art Exhibition of Bangladesh 2019 At Poland, Organized by Bangladesh Shilpokala Academy.
National
- Asian Art Biennale2008, 2016, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Dhaka
- Indo-Bangla-Thai Art Exhibition 2003 at High Commission of India, Dhaka Bangladesh
- ART in the Atrium II at U.S. Embassy, Dhaka by the Bangladeshi Artists, 2008 organized by SPBA, Dhaka, Bangladesh
- 12th& 13thYoung Artists Art Exhibition, 1998 & 2000 Organized by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. Dhaka
- 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th National Art Exhibition 1998, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2017 Organized by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. Dhaka
- Art Exhibition 1997, 2018 in commemoration of 22th & 43th death anniversary of the father of the Nation, organized by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Dhaka
- Young Artists Art Exhibition 1998 Organized by Contemporary Art Gallery,Shilpangon, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
- Group Art Exhibition 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008 Title “Appointment” Contemporary Art Gallery, Shilpangan, Dhaka
- Grand Annual Art Exhibition, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 organized by Sazu Art Gallery, Dhaka
- Bangladesh CharuShilpiSangsad, 1st Biennale Art Exhibition 2000, Dhaka.
- Brave Heart – a group art exhibition-2015, Gallery Cosmos, Dhaka.
- Soft Reflections – a group art exhibition- 2015, organized by Gallery Cosmos, Dhaka
CRITIC
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MY SKILL
Education:
BFA : 1994,
MFA : 1996
Faculty of Fine Art
University of Dhaka.
Present Position:
Freelance Artist.
Born: 10th January, 1974
2001 – 2011: Executive Manager,
Gallery Shilpangan
A Contemporary Art Gallery,
Dhaka Bangladesh.
MY JOURNEY
PAINTING FOR SALE SERVICES
WORKSHOP
MEDIA
VIDEO
CONTACT ANUKUL
OUR STUDIO:
House -17 (4th Floor), Road-02, Block-C,
Kaderabad Housing, Mohammadpur,
Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh.
Mobile: +88-01819-850788,
E-mail: [email protected]
Website : www.artistanukul.com