Speakers at a seminar on Tuesday said that a dearth of research on SM Sultan鈥檚 works provided a fertile ground for spreading rumours and myths, instead of shedding light on his philosophy and art.
At the discussion organised at the Dhaka University Faculty of Fine Arts, the speakers also said that government cultural organisations and educational institutions should research art history and works of local artists.
As a part of a seven-day event titled 鈥楢rtist SM Sultan Centenarian Fest 2024-25鈥� to mark the birth centenary of late master artist, the seminar was organised jointly by Charupith Art Research Institute and Terracotta Creatives in association with DU fine arts faculty, SM Sultan Memorial Gallery, and Dhaka University Film Society.
Jahangirnagar University associate professor of philosophy Syed Nizar presented his keynote paper titled 鈥楽M Sultan from theoretical perspectives鈥� at the event chaired by artist Rashid Amin.
Artist-critic Mustafa Zaman, artist-researcher Shawon Akanda and chairman of the sculpture department of the faculty Nasimul Khabir spoke at the seminar moderated by the curator of the festival Mrittika Kamal.
Syed Nizar in his keynote said that SM Sultan carried the legacy of Bengal revolutionaries decolonising artistic forms from pre-colonial and post-colonial art techniques of the greater Bengal, while his participation in different farmer movements and Khaksar movement was reflected in his artworks.
鈥楴ot too many research on local artists, art practice and tradition are there yet, but SM Sultan was widely known for his colonial idea-breaking perspective and deep understanding of local people, culture and spirituality,鈥� Syed Nizar said.
Mustafa Zaman said that the idea of modernity came from colonial syllabus which was based on geometry and plasticity.
鈥楽M Sultan鈥檚 paintings desexualise the human and avoid colonial perspectives to create his own narrative which was absent in the works of the renowned painters from colonial Bengal,鈥� said Mustafa Zaman.
Shawon Akanda said that being born in the Bengal鈥檚 region known for many peasant movements as well as rich cultural traditions, SM Sultan bore the legacy in his work.
Nasimul Khabir said that Charupith Art Research Institute carried the school of Sultan.
鈥楽M Sultan created contents from the everyday life of his village and its history, but portrayed farmers as global heroes with pre-colonial figures,鈥� Nasimul Khabir said, adding that non-academic discourse聽 created myth and rumour instead of analytical work on SM Sultan and other artists of the country.
Khulna University printmaking discipline鈥檚 assistant professor Shantwana Shahrin and artist Syed Golam Dastagir also discussed the life and works of SM Sultan.
The event will end on August 16.
