Introduction

Art plays a vital role in forming cultures and expressing societal identities. The Dhaka Art College, established in 1948, has had a major impact on Bangladeshi art, developing several talents and contributing to the national and global expansion of the country’s art language. It was the region’s first art school and grew to become the primary centre for art and cultural practice. This article discusses the narrative of the inception of Dhaka Art College and the aesthetic contributions it made to the development of Bangladeshi art.

Early Years of Foundation and Developmental History

The Dhaka Art College was founded in 1947, following the end of British colonial control in India and the division of Pakistan into East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). The college was founded by Zainul Abedin, a renowned artist recognized as the “Father of Bangladeshi Art.” Abedin’s goal was to establish a school that not only taught traditional art forms but also promoted creativity and the formation of a distinctively Bangladeshi aesthetic identity. The college began to develop under his leadership. The Institute initially started at the DNMI Hospital building at Johnson Road in Dhaka. In 1952 the institute moved to a building at Segun Bagicha and then in 1956, it moved to its own building at Shahbag. After Bangladesh’s independence, the institute was relocated and renamed Bangladesh College of Arts and Crafts. In 1963, the institution altered as The Government Institute of Arts and Crafts directed by Zainul Abedin along with the guiding force of prominent Artists Anwarul Huq, Quamrul Hasan, Khawaja Shafique Ahmed, Safiuddin Ahmed, and Habibur Rahman. The institute began with six instructors and 18 students and functioned in three departments: Fine arts (now Drawing and Painting), Commercial art (currently Graphic Design), and Graphic art (currently Printmaking). M.F.A. classes began in 1978, and MFA courses in Art History commenced in 1991 and 2001, respectively. The institute united with Dhaka University in 1983, and honours courses were introduced in 1992-93. In 2008, the institute was designated as a Faculty of Fine Arts.

Contributions to Bangladeshi Art 

As they aspired to join the global scene of modern art, the first-generation artists of Dhaka’s art institute encountered a stumbling block. They studied throughout Europe and the United States, taking advantage of the newly independent nation’s opportunities. In the second part of the 1950s, most returned to East Pakistan, embracing Cubism, Abstract Expressionism, Surrealism, and other modern Western art trends. Concerns regarding indigenous issues were washed away by internationalism, which mirrored semi-abstraction and non-representational abstraction in their art. As people isolated by the elitism of their art, most of these artists’ works did not address societal concerns or art language analysis.

Preserving Ancient Art Forms 

Dhaka Art College is a notable institution in Bangladesh, well-known for its attempts to preserve ancient art forms such as Nakshi Kantha and Patachitra, which were on the verge of extinction owing to modernization. The college’s training and promotion of these ancient skills contributed to the preservation of this cultural legacy. It also pushed students to investigate modern art trends, with painters who graduated from the institution fusing traditional and contemporary aspects to create a distinct synthesis that became a characteristic of Bangladeshi art. 

Modern Art Movement Through Abstraction  

Abstractionism was accepted by artists in Bangladesh because it represented their aesthetic, emotional, and intellectual understanding of their art. As abstraction harmonized with Islamic resistance to figuration, social oppression had a role as well. Among the painters who embraced pure abstraction were Muhammad Kibria, Aminul Islam, Abdur Razzaque, Debdas Chakraborty, and Abdul Basit. The paintings of Hamidur Rahman and Murtaja Baseer alternated between abstract and representational genres. Rashid Choudhury, Qayyum Chowdhury, and Novera Ahmed aimed to institutionalize the union of modernity and traditional art. 

Painting by Muhammad Kibria, https://www.observerbd.com/

Abstract compositions were frequently associated with Modern Art. According to Jahangir, Modernism is a movement by and for artists that exists on the outskirts of society. He claims that traditional viewers are unable to appreciate modern painting because their cultural training in viewing art is founded on English visual realism. The rapid popularity of Western art movements was part of the colonial heritage, where imperial education instilled in the colonized nation a sense of inferiority. The problem of abstraction was its isolation from the “public.” Modernism/abstraction remains a contentious subject, with some younger artists considering modernism’s “universal” vocabulary as an imported term, given that Bangladesh is not economically “Modern.” Leading painters shifted to pure abstract style in the 1960s, with command of the medium and compositional skill becoming more essential than concept and meaning, suggesting that abstraction is rather deficient.

Modernized Approach by Artists S.M. Sultan and Shahabuddin Ahmed 

S. M. Sultan and Shahabuddin are two artists who contextualized Bangladesh in their art, addressing the issue of importing modern technology into their work. Sultan, a contemporary of Bangladeshi modernism pioneers, travelled extensively after Partition in Pakistan, Europe, and the USA before returning to Narail, his village in Jessore. His paintings depicted rural Bengal people in exaggerated and idealized ways, symbolizing the vitality of peasant life. 

Sultan, Figures, Watercolour on paper, 1967, https://durjoybangladesh.org/

He claimed that his themes symbolized the energy and labour of Bangladeshi peasants’ battle with the soil. Sultan’s lines and colour application contain “folk” coarseness and an apparent amateurishness, which conflicts with the discipline and grammar of art education. However, he was knowledgeable and well-travelled, and it is difficult to believe that the formal character of his work was anything but dictated by his own choice, not a deficiency in art training. 

Artist S.M. Sultan at work, https://countercurrents.org/

Shahabuddin Ahmed, born in 1950, has carved an influential place for himself in the art world of Bangladesh. He joined the armed struggle for independence which deeply affected his work. In 1979, he began to explore the potential of the human form, effectively capturing the drama of the war. Shahabuddin’s reality is built on Western concerns of anatomy, light, and shade, his drawing and colours are realistic, and his subject is handled with forceful brushwork. In conclusion, both artists have contributed to the understanding of Bangladesh in their art, focusing on the energy and labour of the peasants and the challenges faced by modern art.

Painting by Shahabuddin Ahmed, https://durjoybangladesh.org/

Impacts During the Liberation War 

The 1971 Liberation War inspired artists to investigate Bengali cultural history and infuse social and political criticism into their work. The art world had an explosion of energy during this time period, with a greater number of artists working in a wider range of media. However, abstraction retained a consistent shape, whereas representation saw a renaissance. In the visual arts, there was a revived interest in figurative depiction throughout this time period. 

The intellectuals and young adopted progressive, secular views, which led to artists being involved in sociopolitical activities. Their works frequently reflected their political conviction, resistance to social injustice, and sympathy for the impoverished. This time period saw the growth of art criticism, supportive media, and an expanding art-viewing public. The second generation of artists had a huge impact on modernism, transforming the art world and its values. They, on the other hand, stressed the product over its socioeconomic environment and neglected its philosophical roots, resulting in a narrow movement centred on exterior behaviours of a new kind. Many artists from Dhaka Art College utilized their work to remark on social and political themes, notably during the turbulent years preceding Bangladesh’s independence in the liberation war of 1971. Graduates of the college have received international acclaim for their inventive and thought-provoking work, showing Bangladesh’s vibrant and dynamic art landscape.

Influence on Artistic Practices of Bangladesh 

The Art Institute in Bangladesh, which began as a learning centre, swiftly evolved into a gathering place for aspiring artists and a platform for the beginning of a new art movement. Many instructors travelled to Europe and Japan for training and returned with fresh ideas, exposing the institute’s faculty and students to Western art. In addition, they were exposed to indigenous and traditional art traditions. Their sensibilities were inspired by the West, but their heritage kept them from being mere imitators.  Bangladeshi artists have benefited from the institute’s capacity to blend native and international art aspects. The institute has produced great development in Bangladeshi art over the last fifty years, with students developing their abilities while adhering to their main inclinations. Bengal School’s legacy was closely followed by students of oriental arts, whereas folk forms were utilized in the works of many artists.

In the Present Day 

Graphic Design, Oriental Art, Ceramics, Drawing and Painting, Sculpture, Crafts, History of Arts, and Printmaking are among the institute’s current departments. The institute provides a four-year Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA Honours) degree as well as a two-year Master of Fine Arts (MFA). Annual enrollment has climbed from 80 to roughly 120 students. A new computer lab has been added to the Graphic Design department. Students can now work part-time at media companies and advertising agencies, making the commercial side of BFA and MFA degrees more appealing. The institution has 43 regular professors, most of whom are renowned Bangladeshi artists. It has been a cultural hub for artists and art enthusiasts for the last 50 years and is an important focus of modern art practice in Bangladesh.

Faculty of Fine Arts, Dhaka University, http://www.muzharulislam.com/

Conclusion 

Dhaka Art College has played an important role in Bangladeshi art history, producing artists who have made significant contributions to the art world. It combines tradition and creativity to build Bangladesh’s distinct aesthetic character while also maintaining its cultural legacy. As it progresses, it will continue to be a significant institution in the country’s cultural landscape, ensuring that the legacy of Bangladeshi art is preserved for future generations.

References 

Selim Lala Rukh, “Art of Bangladesh: the Changing Role of Tradition, Search for Identity and Globalization”, September 2014, Open Edition Journal

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