‘Ontore Ontorikkher’: Masudur Rahman celebrates Safiuddin Ahmed’s legacy

Artist Masudur Rahman is marking the 104th birth anniversary of Shilpaguru Safiuddin Ahmed with his fourth solo exhibition, “Ontore Ontorikkher”, currently under way at Safiuddin Shilpalay.

Organised as a tribute to the pioneering modern artist, the exhibition opened on June 26 and was initially scheduled to conclude on July 1. Following an extension, it will now remain open until July 5.

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Across the gallery, Masudur Rahman’s works shift between abstraction and recognisable human forms. Faces, bodies, clouds, and landscape-like shapes gradually emerge from dense layers of texture and colour, giving the paintings a compelling sense of movement.

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Photo: Abrar Faiyaz Niloy

Blue, grey, and white dominate several of the works. One large horizontal painting resembles a mountainous landscape, with pale, cloud-like forms set against a blue background and darker layers gathering below. Other pieces feature densely arranged figures, suggesting the ever-flowing nature of the human soul.

Rahman also employs warmer shades of orange, yellow, and red in several compositions. In one such work, multiple faces emerge amid thick, overlapping brush strokes, placing the human figure at the centre of a fragmented visual landscape. From the viewer’s perspective, the paintings reveal the many-layered mystery of human existence.

The title, “Ontore Ontorikkhe”, connects the inner world of the individual with the vastness beyond it. This relationship is explored throughout the exhibition, where intimate human expressions appear alongside forms reminiscent of skies, landscapes, and the natural world. A single glance is enough to suggest that the universe exists within us.

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Photo: Abrar Faiyaz Niloy

The exhibition’s dedication to Safiuddin Ahmed also lends it broader historical significance. Regarded as one of the pioneers of modern art in Bangladesh, Safiuddin is especially remembered for his mastery of line, form, and tonal composition, as well as for his contribution to the country’s printmaking tradition.

Artist, photographer, and lyricist Shankar Shawjal; architect and artist Mustapha Khalid Palash; and artist, critic, and curator Mustafa Zaman attended the inauguration as special guests.

Safiuddin Shilpalay has expressed its gratitude to visitors and invited art enthusiasts to visit the extended exhibition.

“Ontore Ontorikkhe” will remain open daily from 11am to 8pm until July 5 at Safiuddin Shilpalay.