A six-day exhibition of shora works titled ‘Phire cholo matir tane’ by artist Sukumar Paul concluded at Dhaka Art Centre at Dhanmondi on Saturday.
Shora is a wide-mouthed, shallow clay pot with a convex bottom. The plain bottom is supplemented with a canvas to paint traditional folk motifs and mythological motifs in bold lines and artistic patterns for decoration during festivals and ceremonies of the Bengali community.
“These days we find lots of painted works on shora but my subjects, as I feel, have their own aspects”, said artist Sukumar Paul who conducted a three-day workshop on shora painting at the exhibition venue with 10 participants.
A total of 75 shora-works are being displayed at the show. Tales of rural Bengali myths and culture are reflected in these works. And these shora-works have added a sense of bliss to viewers’ minds. Bright and distinct motifs of birds like owl, bou kotha kao and peacock, with their fanned feathers, have provided a unique look to the compositions.
The contrasting blue, red, yellow, green or purple colour of sharply edged patterns, lines and spots have been superb in these shora works.
A few of the noteworthy depictions of the threatened Bengali folk ideologies put on display in the show include the Jata, a mechanised wheat grinder, the mystic baul with his musical instrument of ektara and the ever-watchful, decorated scarecrow, the Kaktarua on the rural fields. Motifs of Radha and Krishna, Narayan and Laxmi, mother and child, rickshaw-ride, man and woman are also very attractive.
Being one of the oldest and typical representatives of Bengali folk custom, the works of Potochitro, Ghotochitro, Shorachitro, Putul, Nakshi kantha and Alpana have highlighted their thematic features before the visitors alongside some unique displays, the topics of which include figures and patterns taken from indigenous traditions of Australia, Africa and Europe.
The works consist of motifs of the elegant antelope of the African plains in wood engravings as well as lovely picturesque presentation of the grand elephant and horses of ancient India.
The graceful peacock and the elusive, mystifying owl have revealed unique splendour through spectacular colours and forms alongside symbolic emblems of the Australian aborigines.
Along with the mingled touch of modern ideas and themes, most of the works contain ingredients of universal artistic flavour; a sense of global cultural fusion within the exceptional element of rural ethnicity.
The compositional appeal of shora works is mainly found in the strong and distinctly drawn lines and uninterrupted, smooth paintings in intensely vibrant colours and shades.
Though done in a highly intricate fashion, yet a certain degree of speed and agility of the fingers has been strictly maintained to attain the required perfection and creative skill.
“The true fun and excitement of shora painting exists greatly in the intricate lines and colourful geometric patterns”, commented artist Anukul Majumder, a participant of the workshop.
Artist Nisar Hossain believes that Sukumar Paul’s works differ not only in the implemention of colours and lines, but also in the use of circular clay background.
He feels that it has been easier for Sukumar to shine in clay shora by dint of his ancestral relationship with the medium.
Renowned artists Prof Hamiduzzaman, Samarjit Roy Chowdhury and Biren Shome expressed their optimism and pleasure about the diverse and delicate shora works of Sukumar Paul.
They hoped that the medium would flourish in future and enrich the cultural arena of Bangladesh.
News Source: The Daily Sun