Titass Journey Within
By Bipul K Debnath
Boats of all sorts, from wooden dinghies to seagoing sampans, are a recurring theme in the paintings of Karu Titas. Bangladesh means boats. Here, boats are everywhere, the artist told The Weekend Independent at the opening of his solo exhibition The Journey Within in Dhaka on February 16. Titas, 53, has put together 52 paintings that represent his long journey and personal relation with art and nature at the show at Shilpangan art gallery, Dhanmondi. These are my works from the last 30 years, from 1988 to 2018. The diversity of the beauty of our rivers, flowers, birds and, of course, the lifestyle of the people, are visible in these paintings, said Titas, who shares a name with the famous border river in eastern Bangladesh.
It is my fourth solo exhibition, but it is quite different from my last three. The canvas of beauty is very large and I try to go there through my paintings. The imagination builds inside through the beauty of nature, and that is why I have named this exhibition Antorjatra, or the journey within, Titas said.
Many artists, art enthusiasts and students, as well as celebrities and collectors visited the show, which was inaugurated by eminent writer Selina Hossain.
Regarding Titass painting style, artist Kazi Golam Kibria said: I have known Karu Titas for a long time, and I am used to seeing his paintings from the very beginning. He feels comfortable with acrylic. He also paints in oil and watercolour on canvas. He paints what he has experienced from his way of life.
He also has a soft corner for colours. So, we see the vivid use of colours in his paintings. Of course, the nature of our country is colourful. So, as a lover of natural beauty, he must play with colours in his paintings, Kibria, 60, added.
Sharing his experience about the portrayal of nature on his canvasses, Titas said: Art lovers and visitors can see the beautiful nature of our country in my works. To get a deeper meaning, I would request them to see my works with the eyes of the mind. I have travelled to different areas of our country and seen so many beautiful sceneries. Thus, I have drawn them with my brush and paint.
Pointing to some paintings on display, Saifullah Safa, an artist and calligrapher, said: We see a couple walking towards an uncertain destination, along a beach at dusk. The grey clouds in front of them makes the painting lively. The boatmen and river represent the life of fishermen in our country. His watercolour flower pot is also really nice to look at.
As an artist myself, I see the long-time celestial journey of Titas through different colours and sceneries. On the other hand, his grey paintings, like the one with the rickshaws, speak of a deep sense within him that cannot be understood with a single view. A visitor must see the paintings several times to get the real message, Safa, 32, added.
Another visitor, artist Mostarul Islam, believes painting is a strong medium to express ones creative thoughts: Every touch of the brush on the canvas can display the views of an artist. Thus, artist Karu Titas has brought his long experience with the arts in these works.
Standing in front of a painting named Rain, Islam, 62, explained: Though the painting (acrylic on canvas) is an abstract one, it shows us the real picture of rain. Normally, nature becomes dark when it rains. After viewing this painting several times, we can get a real feel of rain.
Browsing through the exhibition, Subhashis Bhowmik, 58, a popular television actor, was impressed with the depiction of rural beauty in Titass works: Artist Titas has portrayed the beauty of our nature successfully. For that, he had to visit many villages. The destination of beauty is so wide and far. But the thinking of an artist can reach it easily. Artificial objects cannot be an alternative to real ones, and that is obvious in the artists works. And of course, one can see the real beauty in the different types of paintings at this exhibition.
Prince Kamal, a private art collector, was enjoying the paintings with his teenage son. I am a great fan of the artists works. When we see his paintings for the first time, we may not fully understand them. But if we feel them with our heart, we can get the message easily. I come from the village, and so I prefer to buy paintings on nature, especially village life. I think this exhibition is the right place for that, Kamal, 45, told this correpondent.
Titas, the elder son of renowned sculptor Ferdousi Priyabhashini, was born in 1965 in Khulna and completed his masters degree in fine arts (MFA) from the Institute of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka. The money collected from his latest show will be used for the treatment of his ailing mother, the artist informed.
The 15-day show runs till March 2 and is open to all from 3 pm to 8 pm every day. n
Photos: Courtesy.
