Art
In Quest of Truth
Perception, How Blind Men See, installation.
Kadija-tul-Kobra has two jobs to tackle, in Gulshan in the mornings, and afternoons and at the Dhaka Arts Centre till 8pm. She feels that visual art and novels aim at one thing– expressing hopes and fears. The truth found in books and paintings is what Kobra believes in. Always wearing a smile and optimistic in her ways, she works her heart out. Having studied art and trusting greatly in philosophy, she reads when she can lay her hand on any great literature. Guided by her father, who goes in for the truth in philosophy—believing agony and ecstasy blend to make life, she does not go through living with a pair of blinkers on. She reads, observes and is guided by reason. Having studied graphic art, she goes in for illustration of books.
At the Arts Centre, she is in charge of the library, which has books galore in English and Bangla.
Kobra is a bookworm herself. Kobra is content with her duties at the Centre. This is like her second home. Here she has the opportunity to work with senior artists, and gets to see experimental work ranging from films to videos and painting exhibitions.
In her childhood, Kobra wished to study in all its forms. She did not fancy Commerce or Science subjects. She says that her parents wanted her to study medicine. She tried for literature, but did not get the chance for that. She would have liked to study English or Bangla at Dhaka University. But she had no luck there. Yet books continue to fascinate her. During a friend's brother's wedding, she made some “alpona”. Her friend suggested that Kobra should join Fine Arts. She too felt, why not give that a try?
The World, mixed media.
She says, "I did not realise at that juncture that visual art would also delight me equally. I feel that 'shilpa' art and 'shahita' literature are intertwined, as they both deal with the intensity of human life. They both present the agony and ecstasy of life, with equal candour and intensity. Life and its ups and downs are captured in a graphic way, in both the subjects of human studies."
In the morning when she goes to Gulshan, she is involved in book design at IED (Institute of Education Development) Brac University. At the Art Centre, Kobra makes posters and invitation cards. The graphic artist is designing the set and the costume of the play Mephistoph eles directed by Mukul Ahmed. Apart from this, she has also done “Tempest” with Miranda, which was adapted for the Bangla audience by the same director. They were three small plays, adapted from Shakespeare and Bangladeshis could relate to them. She had done the set-designing for them too.
She has books on Cezanne and Van Gogh. One has tomes on films too and not on just Impressionism, Expressionism, Fauvism and all the post World War I and II — which revolted against colonialism and fixed ideas, when Britain ruled over the seas, as she says.
How does she relax? “The reading of books makes me forget anything unpleasant in life. It helps me understand the world around me. I have enjoyed The Plague by Albert Camus. Something that moved me deeply was Victor Hugo's Les Miserable. Incidentally, I am still reading it. For me Maxim Gorky, Leo Tolstoy and Rabindranath Tagore are close to my heart. I like Tolstoy's short stories, most of all. As for Victor Hugo's Les Miserable, the study of men's minds intrigues me, and eggs me on to read. The trilogy that deals with life of Gorky attracts me as does his Mother. I've read only the translation of the book in Bangla. I've read about the life of Tolstoy too. I realise how he enjoyed life, and cared for the poor serfs of his land. As for his novels like Anna Karenina, I look forward to getting them too, with time,” she says. Asked about her favourite author, she says that she likes Rabindranath Tagore the best.
Kobra says that she finds this Nobel Prize winner from Bengal very positive in his outlook of life. In all the surrounding pain he shows joie de vivre and hope. She says that his life was not easy, but he kept himself preoccupied with work and the satisfaction of living and achieving. "Rabindranath had plenty of pain in his personal life, she says. His father was fairly strict about his education, with his private tutors. He lost his wife early. He needed inspiration for creative work like Pablo Picasso. As for his role in painting, I am amazed that he was so modern, for he was an Expressionist, which was in vogue even in Europe in his time. He did not fall for the conventional art of India,” says the young artist.
Post World War I and II paintings appeal to her, especially the Expressionists, Surrealists as also the Dadaists. The court painting style of the High Renaissance and the visually beautiful work of the Impressionists were over. “It was the fear and pain in the minds of men as by Edward Munch, as in Germany. Van Gogh is my favourite painter as he mixed with the people, and knew what their heart and soul longed for. His lines and colours were vibrant and ecstatic. His lifestyle also appeals to her. He was one with his colours and lines—whether he portrayed mankind or landscape. Seeing his 'Sunflowers' or 'Cypress trees' is truly a mind-whirling experience. The Surrealist like Salvador Dali, as well as the Dadaists had the courage to defy conventional art,” she says.
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