Lily Never Lies
From Dhaka to Florence: The Journey of Artist Rup Roy’s Watercolor Lily Rup Roy has been working across various artistic mediums for many years, though oil painting has recently claimed most of his attention. Yet he always returns to watercolor with a kind of natural pull. His landscapes and especially his lilies have earned him a distinguished place among leading contemporary artists in these genres. On December 1, in the historic Italian city of Florence, Artist Roy’s first international exhibition will open. Hosted at the Tobian Art Gallery on the banks of the Arno River, the exhibition will feature a remarkable piece from his still-unreleased watercolor Lily series.
I have had the privilege of viewing Roy’s private collection of watercolor lilies, a body of work that remains unrevealed to the public. The artist has plans that reach far beyond immediate presentation. From that collection, a single, carefully chosen piece is now being exhibited in Italy.
The Florence exhibition came about almost unexpectedly. During a piano performance at Alliance Française, I had a conversation with Roy about an upcoming exhibition in Nepal, scheduled for mid December. Around November 9 or 10, however, an announcement for an art exhibition in Florence suddenly appeared, and the submission deadline was already near. A conversation with the exhibition’s curator, Nazmul Haque Bappi, a person of disarming humility, confirmed Roy’s participation. A few days later, Artist Rup Roy was invited to curator’s gallery to deliver his work, where the meeting unfolded in an atmosphere of warm conversation, shared stories, and tea.
Roy had hoped to attend the exhibition in person, but the short timeframe made it impossible to obtain a visa. There remains optimism, however, that he will be present in person at the third edition of Whispers of Colors.
This first international exhibition stands as an important milestone in Roy’s artistic journey. For a Bangladeshi artist to have his work shown in Florence, a city long revered as a global center of art, is undoubtedly a moment of profound pride.
