‘Look around, you will find beauty in everything’

Qrius Gallery inaugurated a solo photography exhibition on the 16th of this month, and it was, well, very curious in nature.

The place had come alive through magnificent photographs of flowers, animals, insects, birds, and remarkable sceneries. It was as if the audience was surrounded by nature itself.

It was also clear from the manner in which the exhibits had been arranged, and the calm and quiet setting of the place, that there was a story behind the photos, and a story behind who took them. 

As it turns out, the genius behind each photograph was an unlikely candidate. M Shahadat Hossain Kiron, the artiste, is better known as the Chairman of Dekko Legacy Group.

Shahadat belongs to the second generation of industrialists in his family. His father – Haji Mohammad Ishaque – was the founder of Dekko Group. The company began its journey with RMG manufacturing, where Shahadat first started his career. 

His father served as the Chairman, Shahadat was its Managing Director, and his brother Shahid Hossain was the Director.

In 2017 the family decided to amicably divide the Dekko group into two independent companies: Dekko Legacy Group – where Shahadat serves as the Executive Chairman – and Dekko-Isho, where his brother Shahid serves as the Chairman.

Dekko Legacy Group is presently run by Shahadat and his two sons. Apart from their involvement with RMG, the group is engaged in paint manufacturing, food, hospitality, and more.

Shahadat takes his work very seriously, but during his free time he likes to occupy himself with hobbies, particularly photography, due to his profound admiration for nature.    

"The beauty of the natural world inspires me," said Shahadat.

"I am not captivated by buildings or monuments, not as much as nature anyway. When I saw the Statue of Liberty, it was beautiful. But it was in no way comparable to a beautiful sunset or sunrise. I will wait for the perfect view to get the perfect shot," he added.

Shahadat travels a lot and photography allows him to share his experience with others. 

"During my travels, if I see something beautiful – even if it's an insect – I want others to see it as well," said Shahadat.

"My ancestors were probably teachers, so whenever I learn something new, I want to show it to others," he added.

He also loves reading and is inspired by the works of Rabindranath Tagore, Sunil Gangopadhyay, and Jibonananda Das, amongst others. 

"Their work gives me joy. Whenever I read a poem or lyrics, I immediately visualise a connection between what I have read and my surroundings."

Shahadat however photographs mostly when he is traveling on holiday. To him, work comes first.

"You see, I have about 20,000 people working at Dekko Legacy Group, and I do not slack on the job. Nature is not going anywhere," he said. 

So how did this all begin?

"I do not exactly remember which image got me interested in photography," he said. 

"But I remember when it happened. Earlier, we did not have great cameras. We had Kodak reels and everything was black and white. I somehow clicked a picture and sent it to Italy to process it. And I would click pictures like that randomly." 

For Shahadat, the anticipation, waiting for the colour versions, made the whole process more interesting. 

"Now you have screens and you can judge or click if the shot is not accurate. But back then, it was the hope that kept us waiting till the photo we clicked was developed."

Shahadat's family, especially his wife and sons, are supportive of his passion for photography.

"Whenever I travel because of work, I travel alone. However, my wife is with me when I am on vacation. She loves nature just like me and often points out subjects I can photograph. She was with me when I went whale watching and every picture I have clicked outside of Bangladesh, I was accompanied by her."

He has, however, refrained from showing his work publicly until now. 

"My youngest son organised this exhibition along with Chandra Shekhar Shaha (curator for the exhibition), without informing me," Shahadat added.

M Shahadat Hossain Kiron's solo photography exhibition is open to all and will run until the 26th of February.

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A selection of photos from the exhibition with a description from the photographer

Amra Amader Jonno

I captured that shot in Chandra. When I posted it on Facebook with a caption that read: Ami shunechi shedin naki, tumi tumi tumi mile, tomra shodol bole shobha korechile. It was a lyric of a song. And just like what the lyric said, I felt, the birds also felt like they needed to sit for a while, they needed to rest.

Bonnilo Bhubon

From what I remember, this photo is from a series of photos of sunsets, with different skies, taken from the same location. It was near a river but I do not recall the exact place. It was a beautiful sunset and I had to stand there for a long time to get the perfect shots.

Joker Akash

I was traveling to Vancouver from Alaska. I was on a cruise for seven days. This shot was taken on the fourth day. My wife and I thought of taking a small boat and going whale watching. I saw about six to seven whales. What I had noticed was, they always very graciously wag their tails as they go back into the water. I was afraid too. I was wondering what would happen if the whale hit our boat. But it was a beautiful sight.

Khoniker Otithi- 1

I was stunned at the shine and glaze a mere insect had as a part of its skin. If you look, you will notice that it cannot be understated how the creator has profoundly put beauty in every creation. All you need to do is look around you and you will find beauty in everything. There are so many things. How a bird drinks water, how they communicate, and so much more.