From freedom fighter to celebrated artist

Well-known artist and freedom fighter Shahabuddin Ahmed of Bangladesh will stay at the Rashtrapati Bhavan as an 'Artist In-Residence' for five days beginning February 18. He is the first foreign artist to livein Rashtrapati Bhavan as a guest of President Pranab Mukherjee – who had first seen his work at Ganges Art Gallery in Kolkata in December 2015.

Shahabuddin is a celebrated international artist whose works are in collection of the Museum of Bourg-en-Bresse in France, the National Museum of Bulgaria, the Olympic Museum of Lausanne in Switzerland, the Seoul Olympic Museum in Republic of South Korea, the National Museum of Taiwan, Bangladesh National Museum and many other galleries and private collections.

67-year-old Shahabuddin, settled in Paris for nearly four decades now, is the national pride of Bangladesh.

Above all, Shahabuddin is a Mukti Joddha, a 'Platoon Commander', who fought in the liberation war of Bangladesh, when he was 21-years-old, alongside Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father of Bangladesh. Young Shahabuddin was the first to host the flag of Bangladesh on Dhaka Radio office (that time Pakistan radio) before noon on December 16, 1971.

He has exhibited around the world and his works include recurring portraits of Gandhiji and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Shahabuddin considers Rabindranath Tagore and Mother Teresa as sources of inspiration.

"Shahabuddin first exhibited his works with us almost 22 years ago and it has been a very fulfilling journey for both the gallery and the artist. I saw in the art of Shahabuddin a very strong link not only between India and Bangladesh but also a bridge to the western world as Shahabuddin had in the latter part of his education been greatly influenced by European painters. When the President inaugurated his show in Kolkata, he hoped these works could be shown in Delhi and other parts of the country as well. With this invitation, we are being able to take that first step," says Smita Bajoria, Director, Ganges Art Gallery.

A solo exhibition of his works titled 'Shanti' will be held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum Art Gallery in collaboration with Kolkata-based Ganges Art Gallery during the period of his stay.

Gerard Xuriguers, art critic in France writes about Shahabuddin's work: "Shahabuddin, before settling in Paris, experienced a threatened identity, in Bangladesh that he vigorously liberated in 1971. This period of his life, both dramatic and full of hope, has undoubtedly affected his artistic path and forged his character. However, he did not turn into a militant painter, but simply a painter – a painter that always cared more for painting than for the subject of his painting."

Shahabuddin Ahmed says about his art, "The experience of war has guided my path, but contrary to what many believe, I don't paint war and war is in no way my creed. What I want to depict is the human suffering in defiant postures, borderline situations, in which the individual has to reach his limits.

"Nor do I choose death as a subject, because deep down, the nature of my interest is rather optimistic. And in the cracked attires of my characters, that some consider to be the reflection of the 'freedom fighter' or the athlete, is nothing more than the manifestation of the state of one's suffering."

All visitors to the museum can see the exhibition. Entry for all is from Gate no 30 which is opposite Talkatora Garden.

The 'In-Residence' programme was launched by President Mukherjee on December 11, 2013 with the aim of providing writers and artists an opportunity to stay at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The programme seeks to provide an environment which will inspire creative thinking and rejuvenate artistic impulses.

Prominent Artists In-Residence who have stayed at the Rashtrapati Bhavan so far include painters Jogen Chowdhury (MP, Rajya Sabha), Paresh Maity and Jayasri Burman.