Print exhibition ‘Evolution’ starts at AFD today

‘Evolution’, a solo exhibition of prints, by Abdullah Al Bashir begins at Alliance Française de Dhaka today.

The exhibition features Abdullah Al Bashir’s woodcut works. For this exhibition, he allegorically used ‘ship’ in this artwork series and tried to depict the universe, state, society, and his own self through the ship, which collapsed and later got fixed.

Prof Dr ASM Maksud Kamal, pro-vice chancellor (academic) of Dhaka University, eminent artist and Prof Syed Abul Barq Alvi, professor of printmaking department at Dhaka University Anisuzzaman Anis, and chairman of Radiant Pharmaceuticals Limited Md Nasser Shahrear Zahedee attend the inaugural ceremony of the exhibition at La Galerie of Alliance Française.

The exhibition will remain open to all till December 14 from 3:00pm to 9:00pm, except the Sundays.

After completing his post-graduation from Dhaka University, Abdullah Al Bashir went to Yannan Arts University in China for higher education, where he received the ‘All Media Best Award’ at that time for his woodcut print (2020). He has received five scholarships during his academic career.

The artist is attracted by his surrounding subject matter, object, nature, working life, and everything, and his works are reflected by his deep observation of things around him. He had shown great skills in printmaking through different processes like relief, intaglio, and lithography, which are rarely seen. He is not limited to media like woodcut, watercolour, etching, or drawing.

He is a versatile artist, as he is an expert in all media. Being proficient in every medium, he does everything perfectly. His hyper-realistic watercolours are seen among the works of a few artists.

His special attraction to woodcut is notable. He has worked on huge woodcut blocks on multiple plates which are very complicated yet unique techniques. Bashir observed the process of ship-breaking and its subsequent environmental hazards in Bangladesh, and from that point of his artistic liability, he portrayed this series of works. The ship carries profound opportunities, dreams, and hopes for the future. He believes the ship will, one day, be functioning under the direction of an appropriate leadership or captaincy and will take the proper course of action to keep things in balance. He saw the work of some artists in China, got inspired by their proximity and is drawn to such hyper-realistic works.