Sultan Ishtiaque’s Ultramarine

Sheikh Arif Bulbon :
Talented young artist Sultan Ishtiaque is now studying in the final year of BFA in the Department of Drawing and Painting under the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Dhaka.
In recent years, he has participated in many group art
exhibitions and art workshop. In 2012, he achieved the
‘Media best award in water colour’ and recently he has own the ‘Artist Mahbubul Alam Memorial Award 2014’
on oil colour media from his department.
Ultramarine is the deep blue colour and a pigment that was originally made by lapis lazuli into a powder. The names derive from middle Latin Ultramarines, literally ‘beyond the sea’ because it was imported from Asia by sea.
During the Renaissance, Ultramarine was the finest and most expensive blue that could be used by painters.
Artist Sultan Ishtiaque’s first solo exhibition titled
Ultramarine is going on at the La Galerie of the Alliance Francaise de Dhaka (AFD) in the city’s Dhanmondi area now.
Artist Sultan Ishtiaque’s titled his first solo painting
exhibition with the name of his favourite colour, as he prefers using it in his paintings. It also helps him to create
illusion which according to him – symbolises depth, trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence, stability, intelligence, truth,
faith and haven which are related with his artworks.
Sultan Ishtiaque has been working in watercolour, oil colour, pencil, acrylic, charcoal and mixed media since 2003.
However, his proffered media is watercolour.
Travelling to different locations to paint is an enriching experience that’s helps him grow as an artist and nurtures
his sprit. He worked in old Dhaka, Forasgonj , Firmgate,
Buriganga, Chandpur, Bandarban, Rumabazaar and so many other places, where he found amazing subjects,
colour, view, people for his canvas.
The subjects of his paintings are landscape, still life,
portrait, cityscape, human figure, composition and so on.
Artist Sultan Ishtiaque is very much inspired by the
impressionist artists, their works, style, light and shade. Dockyard series, cityscape series, bird’s eye view series
are some of his favourite works.
His preferred colours are – ultramarine, permanent orange, cobalt, burnt sienna, crimson lake and rose matter hue.
He believes that every artist needs to be unique in his
artistic style, yet he is still searching for his own unique style, looking for new subjects, new colours, new horizons.
The exhibition was inaugurated by eminent artist Shahid Kabir as the chief guest, while Professor Jamal Ahmed,
Chairman of the Department of Drawing and Painting of the University of Dhaka and noted art critic Moinuddin Khaled were also present as special guest and guest of honour respectively. Olivier Litvine, Director of the AFD, gave the
welcome speech at the inauguration.
The exhibition will continue till June 2. n