Religion with Red Circles

Mukaddas Shadi

Mukaddas Shadi Ahmed, 33, has the remarkable ability to combine religious fervour with contemporary hints. The concept of Ashura, with the grandsons of the Prophet is often in his mind. He depicts standing and bending figures. Hazrat Shah Jalal is written in naive Bangla and Arabic calligraphy. There are delicately shaped flowers, and leaves to depict an ever green spring—as well as a garden in Paradise. The door of the mosque is included and bewildering circles denote the frenzy, devotion and speed of praying. This is all in magenta and white sweeps. The tint of the ashes of roses will draw the viewer, if nothing else.
Red is used to symbolize the martyrdom of the grandsons of the Prophet. Sometimes he uses green, in memory of Madina Sharif. The colour is to denote peace, says Mukaddas.

Etching, 2013.

As a child Mukaddas went to a mosque to study Arabic and Islamic teachings. He learnt to sing the Aazan or call to prayer. He also studied at St. Gregory's School in Lakhibazaar for 12 years. This broadened his horizon.
His skill at drawing was used do do the necessary make up for performers during school dramas. He sang 'Amar Sonar Bangla' with pleasure during assembly. Brothers Ralph, Robert and Leo and Brother Gerald, the principal were encouraging mentors for him. Their white flowing robes, tied with a black rope intrigued Mukaddas.
Mukaddas's fascination for art began he says, during Biology class as it involved drawing. He also drew for other students. He copied cartoons from newspapers.
Being in a missionary school he attended Sunday church and it was here that he studied paintings and statues that all had religious motifs.          
Speaking of the artists who he would like to take after, he likes Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin and SM Sultan, Sultan's paintings of plantation, farmers and fishermen impress him greatly. The manner in which Sultan presented the people of Bangladesh—as more than average, strong and muscular--- was to drive home the point that we are basically an agricultural country, which has taken to industry in the relative  recent years. The works of the trio Qamrul Hassan, Kibria and Safiuddin naturally impress and inspire him enormously. Tagore as a painter too impresses him. These printers and painters use vibrant colours and images, he says.
Mukaddas is also skilled German, Urdu, English etc. Tall, lanky. fair and sporting a long jet-black beard, Mukaddas is from the Department of Print making, Institute of Fine Arts, DU. Rokeya Sultana and Abul Barq Alvi supervised and guided him. He says that he loves the woodcut relief process, etching (intaglio), scratching on zinc, aluminium or copper sheet. After the wax is put, he draws with the needle. He first draws on a wooden space, and according to the drawing of various elements he says he pastes with glue. On top he puts a coating of lacquer. He then colours with oil paints and hog brush. The effect he says is that of a bright painting. He uses hardboard, as for younger painters this is cheaper than metal sheets.