Between subconscious and unconscious Niamul Bari’s solo exhibition at Dhaka Art Centre

Dhaka Art Centre has organised a two-week painting exhibition of Niamul Bari at its gallery in Dhanmondi, Dhaka. The exhibition was inaugurated on July 2. Bangladeshi expatriate painter Monirul Islam, and eminent architect and art critic Shamsul Wares were present as guests at the opening of the exhibition. Noted art critic Moinuddin Khaled presided over the programme.
Bari did his MFA in sculpture from the Institute of Fine Arts (now faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka) and post diploma in Sculpture from Visva-Bharati University, India. He obtained further education in painting and sculpture at The Art Students League of New York, USA. The artist now lives in New York. Bari regularly visits Dhaka and is well informed about the current trends in Bangladeshi art.
Bari's paintings are intimately connected with characteristics of sculpture. The surface looks uneven and creates effects of vague shapes. His mode of expression is abstract expressionism, and the paintings depict damaged and abandoned facades.
About his works, Bari says, “My aim is to reach a spiritual level that exists between subconscious and unconscious. On the level of subconscious, energy is expre-ssed through body language. Bold lines, vibrant strokes and colours translate my insights. The darkness in my painting represents meditation. Without burning in meditation, one can't reach the level of 'no,' and 'no' is the level of unconscious.”
Bari's exhibition continues till July 16.