Lines of Grace: Biren Shome inspires hope through art
Biren Shome experiments with line drawings in his solo art exhibition
Using continuous white lines on top of a black backdrop, and conventional black lines on white backgrounds, Biren Shome has brought to life his imagination. 48 of his line artworks are featured at Gallery Shilpangan in Lalmatia, in his latest solo exhibition 'Lines of Grace'.
Shome's themes explored nature, pristine male and female figures, and birds and animals. His usual media of choice is acrylic, but the exhibits at the show were an experimental endeavour for him.
Biren Shome had started practising his starkly minimalist line drawings sometime before the pandemic. The immobility of the lockdown had barred Shome from where he normally draws inspiration from – nature and his surroundings. However, he would still visit a friend's art supply shop in Dhanmondi during the lockdown to pass the time.
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"It was there I saw these black papers coming in from China, Korea, and India. The shop also had white ball-tip pens. I began experimenting with these. White lines on black backgrounds gave the drawings an effect similar to negative films. I found it interesting and continued experimenting."
Although most of these drawings were made during the thick of the pandemic, Shome artworks explored positive concepts. He drew nature and people instead exploring bleak themes of death and devastation the pandemic had brought.
"People have experienced enough death and despair already. Why would I want to add to that? I want my artworks to inspire hope and explore the better things in life," he explained.
Shome's artworks have been exhibited in numerous solo and group shows in Bangladesh and abroad. His unyielding love for art has to do with who taught him to be an artist – Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin.
Zainul Abedin founded the Government College of Arts and Crafts (presently Faculty of Fine Art, University of Dhaka) in 1948, the same year Biren Shome was born.
"I enrolled in Charukala in 1964, and I completed my education directly under the guidance of Zainul Abedin," said Shome.
"I was trying to study a calf's figure one day at the small zoo inside Charukala; the zoo is not there anymore. Zainul Abedin approached me from the back and alarmed me. He said to me 'You are doing it all wrong! A calf's hooves and a cow's hooves are not the same. Observe first, then draw.' He instilled a sense of observation in me that I still rely on," he added.
Shome grieves that the youth of today are not inspired by art as much as the older generations. However, he believes the use of unconventional media can renew this interest.
"The inauguration of Lines of Grace had many young visitors. We could hardly accommodate everyone here. But to my surprise, they did not look at my reputation as a veteran artist, instead they looked at the artworks themselves."
Lines of Grace was inaugurated on 30 September, and is open to all until 14 October.
TBS Picks: A selection of artworks from the show with a description from the artist
Lalon (pen sketch)
I made this sketch of Lalon as a homage to him. Bauls culture had a great influence on Bangladeshi culture as a whole. I made this sketch some time ago, but I did not reveal it until I found the right exhibition for it.
Ramoni (mixed media)
Through the Ramoni series I try to show how men and women can live together in harmony with nature. People love to get close to nature. The nudity represents how to get closer to nature by letting go of material possessions.
Muktijoddha (mix media)
The Liberation War had a very big influence on my life. I have done an entire show on the war. In all of my exhibitions I keep at least a few paintings on this topic. In Lines of Grace, I have included them to signify the importance of this movement in my life.
