an artist of politics. He established an independent sovereign Bangladesh, leading the independence struggle of the Bengali nation. Jainul had a close relationship with Bangabandhu. They followed the same ideology and path. These two Bengali great men worked for a long time in the development of Bengali culture. After independence, the father of the nation entrusted Jainul to sketch the constitution of Bangladesh. He performed that duty well. Later, Bangabandhu also gave the responsibility of setting up Bangladesh Folk and Craft Foundation in Sonargaon. Jainul Abedin was a human artist of common nature.Artist Jainul Abedin: A pioneering artist
Jainul Abedin was not only an artist, he also led the transition period in the art and culture of Bangladesh
DR. FORQAN UDDIN AHMED
A prominent artist named Jainul Abedin was born in the district of Kishoreganj in 1914. Another prominent leader, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was born at Tongipara in the district of Gopalganj in 1920. They were almost contemporary. He was an artist of politics. He established an independent sovereign Bangladesh, leading the independence struggle of the Bengali nation. Jainul had a close relationship with Bangabandhu. They followed the same ideology and path. These two Bengali great men worked for a long time in the development of Bengali culture. After independence, the father of the nation entrusted Jainul to sketch the constitution of Bangladesh. He performed that duty well. Later, Bangabandhu also gave the responsibility of setting up Bangladesh Folk and Craft Foundation in Sonargaon. Jainul Abedin was a human artist of common nature.
The life, pain and suffering of the common people was the subject matter of this great artist. Jainul depicted the untold sufferings by his famine pictures of 1943. And at the same time he pointed out the failures and negligence of British rulers towards the common people. After the great storm devastation in the southern part of the country in 1970 Bangabandhu had rushed to the affected people. Artist Jainul Abedin could not stay home that day. He too has traveled around the area with relief commodities. From there, the artist drew his famous film Manpura-70. The 30-foot long artworks evoking the horrors of the cyclone, also pointed to the determination of the Bengalis. Many of todays generation may not know that Jainul Abedin visited Palestine in 1970 and drew sketches of Palestinian warriors on the battlefield and arranged for display in several Arab countries. By doing so, he extended his direct support and cooperation to the Palestinian demands. Jainul Abedin was not only an artist, he also led the transition in the art and culture of Bangladesh.
As a student, he was extraordinarily talented, completing his education in the first place. After passing of the apprenticeship, it was difficult for Jainul Abedin to find his way as a creative artist. He was shattered from the stagnant world of the backward village-culture of East Bengal and rushed Kolkata, the epicenter of Indian politics. Indian politics then swelled with the passion and excitement of the independence, the Indian Muslims are in agitation with separate ethnicity. The poisoning of communalism was gradually engulfing the subcontinent. On the contrary, in his experience there was a simple work-life scene of Pallibangla, and the teaching of analogical drawing of the Kolkata Art School.
It is to be remembered that at that time, when Western art crossed the stage of cubism-expressionism beyond the control of realistic representation of objects and reached Dada-Surrealism. Information technology and print industry were not as advanced and accessible as they are today, so the massage of changed perception became a subject of less attention to the Indians.
Throughout the fifties, East Pakistan was the period of nationalist consciousness of middle-class Bengali and the emergence of non-communal progressive politics and culture. With this developing background and training and travel opportunities abroad at the early age of 50, Jainuls mindset and creativity helped develop. We notice that the fifties were one of the most productive periods of his creativity. It is important to note that the change in his viewpoint was important for the first time as he was traveling to Europe in the year 1951-52 and got opportunity to work at Londons School of the Arts. This is his first direct acquaintance with contemporary painters in the West.
The geometric distortion of the form, leaving him in harmony, attracted him, bringing awareness to the need for exaggeration forms in art. However, like his younger ones, this renewed appreciation made him more introverted, not westward. Sitting on a foreign land, he discovered the face of his homeland. In the tradition of indigenous art, he saw Amitabh Bachchan, the inspiration for applying it to contemporary art. This prominence reflects an important aspect of Jainuls psyche, which once again reflects his downward-looking artistic aspirations.
The power of the line is an indelible mark of Jainul as an artist. He came from a rural source in East Bengal and his constant position in the purification of the citizenry did not take away the rural trait. In his work, he also wanted to inspire a strong and unyielding passion for the rural. For this, Jainul had to invent a different and mixed art form. In addition to the natural and real shape and the distribution of colours and shades of the western style, he planned the outline of the object to be a strong and velocity pile, which simultaneously gave shape, strength and velocity to the objects structure. Jainuls views on the Japanese and Chinese curiosity and the dramatic appeal of the strong black line in the white imagery were probably not ignored by Jainul.
On the other hand, Rekhas extraordinary expression in the folklore of Bengal must have attracted him. Therefore, the line of Jainul should not be judged under any particular style or type. The combination of western art, influence of the Bengal school, country folk art, Chinese and Japanese lines may have created Jainuls own style. The lines are so boxy and lively that they can evoke intense emotional reactions in famine sketches or in the Manpura scroll without the use of colour.
We do not know if Jainul Abedins artwork will ever be recognized for times immemorial. However, it may be said that Jainul Abedin is the name of a pioneer in the sub-continents art industry. In his creations, nature and man emerged in strong energy. The importance of artist Jainul Abedin is of immense importance in the society and cultural environment of Bangladesh. He was a true artist of common man as he was the pioneer of the modern art movement in this country. He has been known all over the world for his artworks in 1943 famine. As nature, culture and heritage of Bengal have been portrayed, the image of the struggle of life of Bengal became embodied in his art works.
To him, art is the manifestation of life itself. And the purpose of this is to make human society volatile and pleasant. Before the establishment of beauty in society, it is necessary to remove all nastiness from there. Economic, social and visible inequalities are among those nasty elements. Jainul was focused solely on establishing that overall and integrated environment throughout his four decades of artistic life. Through which it became possible to continue the meaningful aesthetic practice. His art always spoke of the common man. He himself came from that community. He illustrates all their lives, their endless struggles, their hopes and aspirations through his paintings with sincerity. By watching his artistic work, our present artists, the local and foreign visitors will get a great idea about our quality art. New artists will be encouraged and our art campus will be enriched.
The writer is a contributor of
The Independent
