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Murtaja Baseer: A Visionary of Modern Bangladeshi Art


Murtaja Baseer

Murtaja Baseer (1932-2020), a pioneer of modern Bangladeshi art, will be remembered for his profound impact on the country's art and culture. His artistic creativity was not confined to a single medium; he was a painter, writer, director, numismatist, and professor, demonstrating his versatility and deep involvement in Bangladesh's cultural life.


Early Life and Education


Baseer was born in 1932 in Dhaka in the family of Dr. Muhammad Shahidullah, a famous linguist and educator. He spent his childhood in the family's house. Such an upbringing was probably a reason for Baseer's inquisitiveness and love for knowledge, which would later be seen in his multifaceted endeavors.


Baseer followed the formal education of art at the Government Institute of Arts in Dhaka (currently the Faculty Of Fine Arts – University of Dhaka), where he was under the instruction of Zainul Abedin and Quamrul Hassan. During the early sixties, Baseer went to Paris and enrolled in the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts. Such an era for him in Europe accustomed him to modern ideas in a formative stage. His period in Paris was crucial as he was free to experiment with different styles, including cubism and surrealism, which he incorporated in his later works, where he fused Western styles with local stories.


Artistic Style and Themes of Murtaja Baseer


Murtaja Baseer's artistic evolution reflects a deep engagement with social and political themes. In the 50s and 60s, he was in the social realism school, focusing on the post-colonial woes of the commoner in then east Pakistan. His early paintings, such as Murtaja Baseer over the 'Epitaph for The Martyrs' body of work depict his anguish towards the challenging conditions imposed upon the weak and always had a yearning for social and political change, which also formed a significant part of his work throughout, his life.


In the 1970s, Baseer started to concentrate on abstraction influenced by the symbols and forms that expressed the pain and survival of his nation after the War of Liberation of Bangladesh. It is the 'Wall' series that attracts attention due to the application of boundaries and divisions of any kind — be it physical, emotional or political — which the artist considered to be disintegrating forces within the society.


Baseer's works were stubbornly tied to the color – the color base belonged to the deep suffering of emotional states. His color palette changed in the course of his artistic career from being dominated by pictures of a rural Bangladesh landscape in dull colors to bright contrasting colors that denoted deep emotional strife or a glimmer of hope. His color choices and techniques were all composed creatively, allowing him to express multiple, complex ideas visually.


Multidisciplinary Contributions


Baseer's talents extended beyond painting. He was also a skilled writer, with his prose often exploring existentialist themes and the nature of love within human suffering. His novel 'Ultramarine' had a significant impact on British literature, opening doors for Bangladeshi literature. His interest in numismatics also led him to write papers on the currency history of the Subcontinent, and he amassed a unique collection of coins praised by specialists.


Additionally, Murtaja Baseer was also active as a scriptwriter and art director in the Bangladeshi film industry, which further extended his artistic character. He diversified his artistic skills by participating in a broader range of activities within the industry, establishing himself as a jack of all trades.


Legacy and Impact


Baseer Murtaza's cultural legacy remains one of the deepest roots. He was an academic who worked at Chittagong University for several years, inspiring more generations of artists. His work has been featured in exhibitions in several parts of the world and has won several awards and recognition. Through his art, Baseer was able to portray the nature of humans, patriotism, and sociopolitical situations, making him a pioneer of Bangladeshi art.


Murtaja Baseer was quite the phenomenon. Even after his loss in the year 2020, he was able to leave behind works that constantly remind individuals of the purpose of art. What captivates people the most are the sentiments and thoughts he expresses through his works. He was an advocate for art and creativity as a whole and dedicated his entire life to it.

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