The Tale of Resistance Through Arishadvarga

Dr. Abu Kalam Shamsuddin an associate professor of Drawing & Painting department in Khulna University mostly expresses newness through his art. The figures through chaotic lines that in its own creates depth, three-dimensional atmosphere constructing the emotion is exceptionally Shamsuddin’s style that is evident in this exhibition too.

A few days ago the exhibition hall of Alliance Française de Dhaka was filled with greenery, now it has become a place where nature’s another creation human beings’ intangible turmoil is depicted through the works of Dr. Abu Kalam Shamsuddin in his solo exhibition ‘The Song of Agony: Arishadvarga’.

Before moving and linking his work style in two or three lines with his current exhibition, it is necessary to dive into the deepest concept of the artist’s minds, as the title gives it a weight and audience as well as readers should get an in depth view of what the show is about. Arishadvarga, known as Shadripu is a foundational concept in major Eastern relies beliefs and almost every major world religion and philosophical tradition has a parallel concept. It represents the six enemies or negative traits-Lust/Desire, Anger, Greed, Delusion, Ego and Envy that resides in the mind and prevents spiritual growth. These traits are viewed as thieves of sanity that not only corrupts human behavior and causes emotional turmoil but also prevents achieving peace and distorts our clear thinking.

Shamsuddin with the concept of Arishadvarga depicted the figures as Adam and Eve, where not only agony but also sorrow, fear, tension, emotional turmoils are evident through their expressions and physical postures. His approach of lines, colors and figures encourages the viewers to connect and share a conversational message through them. The artist wanted to identify the own personal enemy and create a step for recovery through which he could help connect his viewers and encourage them. This exhibition is his search for love, hate and the ignorance of human beings to eternal and external challenges. He chose the context of Adam and Eve from religious context, who were born without any bellybuttons, they are presented as the roots of the creation of earth, who are the heart of all things that exists onto the world even human emotions in this exhibition. The lines for some eyes may seem like roots or some may see them as shackles or chains that is consuming the figures slowly.

The figures contains the red, blue, golden and green color where blue is the symbol of oxygen that we breathe is made visible through color. Blue also showcases tranquility and sadness in these artworks, golden hues creates the rays of hope and sometimes means its contrasts melancholy.

The exhibition contains a miniature version of the whole exhibition hall in itself that intensifies the Arishadvarga concept. The whole exhibition created an ethereal atmosphere that tells the story of inner mind of human being their relation to nature which is the beginning of their creation that contains life essence and their ends and to find self-resilience through knowing the enemy within ourselves.