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A Representation Analysis on 'Adam Surot' (The Inner Strength)

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A Representation Analysis on 'Adam Surot' (The Inner Strength) NATIONALISM IN ARTWORKS: A REPRESENTATION ANALYSIS ON ‘ADAM SUROT’ (THE INNER STRENGTH) PJAEE, 17 (7) (2020) NATIONALISM IN ARTWORKS: A REPRESENTATION ANALYSIS ON ‘ADAM SUROT’ (THE INNER STRENGTH) Aftab Hossain1*, Juliana Abdul Wahab2 1 Daffodil International University Universiti Sains Malaysia 2 Universiti Sains Malaysia Email: [email protected] Aftab Hossain1*, Juliana Abdul Wahab2: Nationalism In Artworks: A Representation Analysis On ‘Adam Surot’ (The Inner Strength) -- Palarch’s Journal Of Archaeology Of Egypt/Egyptology 17(7). ISSN 1567-214x Keywords: Arts, Paintings, SM Sultan, Bengali, Nationalism, Documentary ABSTRACT In this study, we can see the analysis of artworks of renowned Bengali artist SM Sultan’s pioneering approach of representing nationalism in his artworks. It made him widespread around the globe during the post - Second World War period. The thoughts behind signifying nationalism in artworks were identified by the internationally knows filmmaker Taeque Masud. According to his documentary film ‘Adam Surot’ (The Inner Strength), the study was conducted. The qualitative research method was opted by following the narrative analysis method. After the analysis, we have found many dynamics of nationalism in his unorthodox approach of paintings, such as materials and thoughts that proved his inner strengths for his people. SM Sultan Sheikh Mohammed Sultan (August 10, 1923 – October 10, 1994) was popularly known as SM Sultan. The famous Bengali artist was acknowledged for his divergent and Avant – Grade paintings and artworks representing the Bengali farmers and the oppressed people since the British rule to independent Bangladesh period. With the help of famous art historian and critic Shahed Suhrawardy, Sultan joined the Calcutta Art School but after three years he left without a degree (Bengal Foundation). He was also known for his colorful, diverse, and 7073 NATIONALISM IN ARTWORKS: A REPRESENTATION ANALYSIS ON ‘ADAM SUROT’ (THE INNER STRENGTH) PJAEE, 17 (7) (2020) bohemian life. Soon after leaving college his journey of unconventional life started in a full phase. According to (Islam) Sultan wandered different places to India and during the Second World War he stayed at Kashmir and for living he was drawing portraits of the allied forces. His first solo exhibition was in Simla in 1946 but none of these works were saved as he was not putting a concentration to archive his works. Soon after the world war, Sultan came back to East-Pakistan and started to live in Narail, in his home town. His fame was more explored at that time and he joined art and painting exhibitions in New York, Washington, Chicago, and Boston, and later in London. He left for Karachi in 1951 and started teaching painting. In 1951, he again came back to Narail and since then he was living an isolated life except for some visits to Dhaka for exhibition works. Sultan’s personal life was more exotic and colorful where he lived with his pet cats and snakes but his philosophy behind his paintings and artworks are a subject to be more explored (Masud T. , Tareque Masud interview on Adam Surot, 2010), Adam Surot (The Inner Strength) ‘Adam Surot’ is the first feature-length documentary film by late filmmaker Tareque Masud. The filming of this documentary started in 1982 (Tareque Masud Memorial Trust) and ended in 1989 (Dhaka Tribune). The film was directed by the late Tareque Masud and cinematographed by Late Mishuk Munier. The filming period of this documentary was not only a film shooting; it was a journey of Tareque Masud and his associates with SM Sultan. The documentary was filmed in 16mm film roll and at that time it was very expensive for filmmakers. The dynamic duo of Tareque Masud and Mishuk Munier took the challenge at they have struggled a lot while finishing this project. According to (Masud C. , 2014) with an almost nonexistent budget, considerable logistic support, and the bureaucratic complexes delayed the film’s final publication and projection. But the courage, commitment, and spirit of independent filmmaking made it possible to reach the journey’s destination. The ‘Inner Strength’ of Sultan was reflected in the director’s life at that time and in the following years as well. The Narrative Strategy ‘Adam Surot’ is a documentary film concentrated more on the artworks and the philosophy of SM Sultans life and thoughts. According to (Masud T. , Tareque Masud interview on Adam Surot, 2010), he and his associates were filming more on the village and its inner beauty by the eyes of Sultan rather than Sultan as a person with an exotic lifestyle. While skipping this attractive part of Sultan, Tareque Masud filmed more on the village and its cultural influence. It is visible throughout the visual narrative of ‘Adam Surot’. The Bengali New Year Festival, village fair, folk culture, and 7074 NATIONALISM IN ARTWORKS: A REPRESENTATION ANALYSIS ON ‘ADAM SUROT’ (THE INNER STRENGTH) PJAEE, 17 (7) (2020) especially Baul songs were represented during the film. The iconic Bengali rural culture was represented from the monologues of Sultan and narration by the filmmaker with visuals. Documentary storytelling is mainly structured into three acts or parts. According to Daniel Raim, the Academy Award-nominated documentary director and writer; these acts are the beginning, middle, and end (Raim, 2018). The 47 minutes duration film is formed into three narrative sections with interviews of SM Sultan, different monologues were used and voice- over narration. The narration was used as the directors’ point of view format. This means the director himself was trying to explain his points and used the narration as the medium to link the story. The film starts with the narration about Sheikh Muhammed Sultan and his early life. Then the narration drives the audience about his turning points as an artist where he left the glamorous life and starts living an ordinary secluded life at his own village home at Narail in Bangladesh. Here we get the motive from Sultan’s monologue and find the reason for his homecoming journey. The maestro explains forming his painting school for village children for free where he teaches and provides food for them to learn painting. At the second stage, discovers the psychoanalysis of SM Sultan’s art and painting. Here the narrative says why and how his artworks shifted to different mediums in his later career. During his earlier days in Kashmir, Sultan used to work with oil paintings till he came back to his village home. In this period of life, he decided to work with watercolor. This medium of color was inexpensive and the materials of the colors were collected from natural sources. Before finding the perfect match for his momentary captures in canvas, Sultan has tried to work with Charcoals, pastels, pen and ink, and spatula techniques. All these logistics were tried after his declining interest in oil paintings. While using oil painting especially during the Kashmir days, the influence of Van Gogh was noticeable in Sultan’s paintings. After coming back to his roots, he decided to work with watercolors and working more on the landscapes of the natural beauty of Bangla. In this stage, he found that the modernist trend is taking us away from the roots and soil. His inner thought about modernism in art was looking down from the peak of a mountain or a skyscraper. That means modernism was taking away the artists from their very own people (Masud T. , Adam Surot - The Inner Strength, 1989). The ending act of ‘Adam Surot’ explains the meaning of his artworks. His representation of artworks, the expressive way to represent the oppressed, the nationalism, and the connection with the people is the key factor of the storyteller’s closing of this documentary film. Here the narrative was connecting to the personal life of Sultan. The story ends with the monologue; that after his homecoming at Narail, Sultan tried to work on nature and the local peasants and gradually he proudly became one of them 7075 NATIONALISM IN ARTWORKS: A REPRESENTATION ANALYSIS ON ‘ADAM SUROT’ (THE INNER STRENGTH) PJAEE, 17 (7) (2020) rather than living a glamorous life of an internationally praised artist at that time. Discussion/Analysis The more than 47 minutes duration documentary film ‘Adam Surot’ epilogues with the eyes of SM Sultan and his perception towards life and his works with the local peasants. According to Tarque Masud, the director of this film, this was not filmmaking and within the process, it was a journey where he and his associates visit the roots of Bangla with the eyes of Sultan (Masud T. , Tareque Masud interview on Adam Surot, 2010). While analyzing the film as content, it has seemed that there are some dynamics of Sultan was projected during the film. Neither is it an autobiography nor a memoir of Sultan. The narrative’s buildup leads us to the Bengali nationalism of Sultan and his representations during the oppression periods of the local country-dwellers. Here are some of the analyses based on the narrative contents and indication comes up as the reflection of Bengali nationalism in Sultan from the documentary film ‘Adam Surot’: Paintings signifying Bengali local peasants The artworks of Sultan were always a reflection of true rural Bengali culture. The artworks of the artist and his philosophy behind the artworks were reflected during the entire film. The reflection of Bengali farmers and workers were noticeably visible in the paintings of Sultan. Sultan started his career with portraits and paintings of different parts of India, but later when he came back to Narail permanently, his paintings were influenced by nature and the local farmers. In this period he changed his orientation of the painting format and switched to landscapes. The subjects were different at this stage.
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