Infrathin: Between culture and canvas

Sometime during WWI, French painter and sculptor Marcel Duchamp introduced a concept that was subtle, yet quite revolutionary. He coined the term 'infrathin' to describe the almost invisible gap that lies between an object and its representation in art; a nuanced difference that exists both in time and space.

This theory, though complex, essentially explores the bridge that exists between tangible objects and their artistic interpretations. Similar to the seamless transition one might experience from turning one page to the next while reading a book.

Drawing inspiration from this intricate concept, Mustafa Zaman, the external curator for 'Infrathin: Perspectives into our Existence,'  realised his vision of transposing the essence of 'infrathin' into the social and aesthetic fabric of Bangladesh. He aimed to blend it with the narrative of societal norms and the ongoing dynamics within the Bangladeshi communities.

For their eighth anniversary, Edge Gallery brought together 15 artists who had been featured by Edge before. Their collective endeavours serve as a tribute to Duchamp's groundbreaking concept, going further by integrating it into Bangladesh's culture.

As you enter the giant hall, you're immediately met with one of Kanak Chanpa Chakma's five paintings in the exhibition.

Photo: Rajib Dhar

The artist, deeply influenced by her upbringing in the Rangamati Hill tracts and the vibrant life of ethnic minority communities, translates her experiences onto the canvas with profound emotion, blended with a sense of realism.

The art work that greets you, 'Path of the Light,' is an abstract work that draws you in with its rich orange, red, and yellow hues, conveying a sense of energy and warmth. This painting, crafted in acrylic, contrasts the fiery orange colour with strokes of white and beige, hinting at the presence of a source of light amidst the intensity. At the base of the canvas, dark silhouetted shapes are present, identifying the monks looking over a sacred ceremony.

 "It's a blend between realistic art and semi- abstraction," said co-curator Anadiny Mogno. An artist herself, she is also the gallery coordinator and was kind enough to walk us through each and every painting on display, offering insights that added perspective to our interpretation of the artworks.

Photo: Rajib Dhar

To the left of the hall rests a few pieces of artwork that were quite unique to our ways. Although quite common in folklore and history from this part of the world, Potochitro, or scroll painting, was something that we had not expected to see in an exhibition themed on realism and abstraction. Shambhu Acharya drew the scroll paintings and he is one of the very few remaining traditional scroll painters in Bangladesh.

In the middle segment, the paintings on display are from the seasoned campaigners. While some walls are filled with abstraction, other walls are laden with paintings boasting of realism.

There were also a few paintings on display outside, beside the garden at the Bay's Edge Water building, which is best viewed during day time, because the sunlight does add to the natural ambience of the exhibition. 
One particular painting that strikes out is 'Winter Daze,' an artwork with bold strokes and bright colours. The technique used in this painting is quite interesting, because the artist takes a brush and stabs all over the canvas and leaves the prominent strokes. 

TBS PICKS (Co-Curator)

Gazir Pot by Shambhu Acharya
Medium: Natural ingredients on Canvas 

Back when scroll painting used to be done on clothes, villagers used to wear them to festivals and events. They used to entertain themselves by singing songs and dancing. 

'Gazir Pot' is from the Sundarban region. Gazi means 'valiant warrior.' This gazi used to be regarded as a hero and used to go out with his tigers to fight foreign forces. The story of that region is depicted here.

Under Construction 2 by Mohammad Eunus
Medium: Mixed media on canvas

Mohammad Eunus is an abstract expressionist and one of the best abstract artists in Bangladesh. He gets inspired by everything around him and while painting he uses different sorts of materials all the time, including metal sheets, broken CDs, sand and rocks, and mixes them with colour.

This one is a top view, a bird's eye view of a landscape. It's open for the viewer's interpretation, but this could be a landscape beside a sea. This is realism blended with abstraction.

Women of the River Kingdom by Jamal Ahmed
Medium: Mixed media on canvas

The artist Jamal Ahmed grew up beside rivers and there used to be a lot of Bedes around that area. These female figures are of the Bede community; they used to wander around and had a very different lifestyle to ours. The artist got inspired from it.

The colours are subtle and muted. You can see a lot of blue and brown shades. You can see Bedes doing their daily chores, filling up water vessels and going about their business.