A testimony of the human condition

This could be a story of a mother and her son, but this is a story of art – ‘a testimony of the human condition.’

Kalakendra, an art gallery in Lalmatia, Dhaka has organized a special painting exhibition recently from 19-29 January 2023. I termed it special because it is a joint exhibition of paintings from a mother and her child. More so, the mother, artist Salma Zakia Bristy, is a graduate of the Faculty of Arts, University of Dhaka; and the son, Mashrafi Aveen, is a 17-year-old special child. Aveen does not speak. He is nonverbal.

Isometric 2 - Bristy on the left, Aveen on the right — Isometric 2. Photo: Mahfuzur Rahman

Bristy is an award-winning artist. She received the grand award at the Asian Art Biennale in Dhaka in 2018 for a video installation. Incidentally, the installation in question was based on her experience during interactions with her son. The present exhibition at Kalakendra, titled ‘Duality’ can be considered an extension of her feelings that she already portrayed in the said video.

Mahfuz Aveen at home — Aveen paints at home. Photo: Collected

Kalakendra has presented around sixty artworks. The mother and the child; Bristy and Aveen, have worked together in eleven of them. The rest, mostly from Aveen, are also generated through the indulgence of his mother. Most of these are abstract in form. Colours, tones and composition are the major elements that have been exploited by both mother and son to create a language of joy and happiness. The canvasses are decipherable, but both of them presented a very bold statement of togetherness making it indivisible chemistry between a mother and son. I doubt if the artworks could be materialized without this chemistry.

We need to judge an art by its merit. In this particular case, the merit has a different dimension. I applaud the artwork of a 17-year-old boy, but my applause should start from the tireless efforts and sheer patience that the mother demonstrated to bring the best of brilliance and genius from a challenged kid.

The exhibition is a good treat for the eyes. I need to particularly mention the creative curetting works of Abu Kalam Shamsudin. It was his marvel that made the duet live and meaningful.

I still have a word of criticism. Though I would prefer the title to be ‘dual’, but the word ‘duality’ is also more or less acceptable to represent the artworks and the journey of creating those. However, the Bangla title is confusing and misleading. The Bangla title means confusion or hesitation. I am sure, that notion does not represent the fact. However, this can be looked upon, and taken care of. And if Shakespeare is remembered, “What’s in a name?”

Aveen with mother — Mother and son. Photo: Collected

Iranian-Dutch artist Sevdaliza advocated that art is life, no matter how fragile the times. As she said, ‘Art is a testimony of the human condition. It encompasses all of our hardships, emotions, questions, decisions, and perceptions. Love, hatred, life, death.’ We now see a Sevdaliza in Dhaka in Salma Zakia Bristy. She not only loved or cared for her youngest son but believed and eventually could reveal treasure in her son’s

extraordinary genius. She took resort in art, and art divulged the fact that all conditions of life are elements of life. It is astonishing to see that having an opportunity for a boy with Autism Spectrum Disorder can also produce beautiful forms of art – synchronization of colours and dramatic composition. We can be thankful to Kalakendra too for revealing a human face of art.