Monirul Islam (artist)

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Monirul Islam
মনিরুল ইসলাম
Monirul Islam Portrait.jpg
Islam in 2017
Born (1943-08-17) 17 August 1943 (age 81)
Chandpur, Bengal Presidency, British India
NationalityBangladeshi-Spanish
Alma mater

Monirul Islam (also known as Monir, born 17 August 1943) is a Bangladeshi-Spanish artist. [1] Monir is an International figure in etching for his signature style and experimental techniques. [2] For his great accomplishment in art, he received two of Spain's top civilian honors: the Cross of Officer of the Order of Queen Isabella (2010), [3] and the Commander Spanish Order of Merit (2018), [4] and Bangladesh Government's civilian award Ekushey Padak in 1999. [5]

Contents

Education and career

Monir was born in Chandpur, Bengal Presidency of British India, present-day Bangladesh. [6] He studied at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Dhaka during 1966-1969 when Zainul Abedin and Mustafa Monwar were his teachers and mentors. He also taught there as a faculty member for one year. [1] With a scholarship from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Spain, he graduated in mural paintings from the Escuela de Bellas Artes de San Fernando. [1] After graduation, he remained permanently resident in Spain.

Etching allowed him his first success in Spain in the early seventies when he was included in the short-lived Grupo Quince , [7] which gave him a platform to be in touch with the vanguards of the technique; he worked alongside artists such as Antonio Saura, José Guerrero, Amadeo Gabino, Lucio Muńoz, Alfonso Fraile, Niels Borch Jensen, Carmen Laffón, Antoni Tàpies Juan Romero, Miguel Ángel Campano, Rafael Canogar, Fernando Zóbel, and Luis Gordillo. [8] By this time he was also directing the workshop of Antonio Lorenzo with whom he keeps a life-long great friendship. [2] In the Spanish art world, the result of his "free-bite" technique of etching is known as "Escuela de Monir" (School of Monir). [9]

The works of Monirul Islam are easily recognizable for the harmonious balance of the empty space and delicate lines, texture and forms that transcendent and transform the versatility and diversity of life through his own developed style and continuous experimentation of techniques. His works can be placed in a great arc stretching from the beginning of his career up to recent times. The present is a mere stop in his long journey as a pilgrim traveling a great distance. [10] [2]

Although Monir is fully integrated with the Spanish artistic movement, he does not leave his Bangladeshi roots. Through his works - etchings, paintings, monotypes, or watercolor - speaks in a language that has been created with rhythms of colors, graphics, and alludes forms and his wisdom, spiritual sensibility and technical skills. [2]

Documentary on Monirul Islam

In 2008, a documentary film entitled "Phera/ফেরা" (The Homecoming), [11] on the life and work of Monirul Islam, was directed and scripted by Fahmida Akhter. [12] It was produced by the Bengal Foundation. [13]

Awards and honors

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "through the eyes of Monirul Islam". The Daily Star Online, Bangladesh. 14 April 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Javier Lambán y Coca Garrido (2008). Monir, Brumas cálidas. Zaragoza: EdieionesFuendetodos. pp. 7–14. ISBN   978-84-9703-215-5.
  3. 1 2 3 "Spanish honour for artist Monirul Islam". The Daily Star. 16 March 2010. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Monirul Islam to receive Royal Spanish Order of Merit tomorrow". The Daily Star. 15 December 2018. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
  5. 1 2 একুশে পদকপ্রাপ্ত সুধীবৃন্দ [Ekushey Padak winners list] (in Bengali). Government of Bangladesh. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
  6. ↑ "Artist Monirul awarded Spain's Order of Merit". The Asian Age Online, Bangladesh. 16 December 2018. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
  7. ↑ "La actividad gráfica de Grupo Quince" (in Spanish).
  8. ↑ Mónica Gener Frigols (2013). "La actividad gráfica de Grupo Quince" (in Spanish). Madrid: Complutense University of Madrid.
  9. ↑ "Retracing the Journey of an Artist". The Daily Star. 2 July 2014.
  10. ↑ "Dhaka Courier", 20 August 2015
  11. ↑ "The Homecoming (ফেরা)", Bengal Foundation YouTube Channel, retrieved 18 April 2021
  12. ↑ "Fahmida Akhter".
  13. ↑ "Bengal Foundation".
  14. ↑ "Monirul Islam Receives Sultan Padak". The Daily Star. 17 January 2012. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
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