Noncelestial Optics: Mustafa Zaman breaks away from traditional art styles
Zaman’s artworks are almost haunting and captivating at the same time, with human figures and dismembered limbs as recurring forms
Would the world be a better place without capitalism? Could there be other ways of living in the modern world? Such are the questions visual artist and writer Mustafa Zaman asks in his latest solo exhibition "Noncelestial Optics", currently being held at the Shunno Art Space in Lalmatia.
As Zaman explains, "We are all struggling under capitalism. Maybe we have missed something that would allow other ways of living, which we didn't try. We all know socialism didn't work. But could we not have developed other models of socialism? Models that would be more democratic? That is probably something we have missed."
The exhibition is primarily composed of various mixed media drawings on paper, collages, digital art and mixed media paintings on canvas. Zaman breaks away from traditional art styles by blending in unorthodox techniques into his works, particularly adding a layer of depth with tea and smoke.
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The styles and concepts of his latest artworks can be traced back to his student years, when he was completing his BFA from the Faculty of Fine Art, University of Dhaka.
"I have always carried an experimental sketchbook with me ever since the first year of university. The sketchbooks we used in class were solely reserved for assignments, some of our teachers did not appreciate it if we had random artworks on them," he said, adding, "I wanted to explore heavy subjects in my work at the time. I remember drawing pyramids and various figures. Not all of them were instantly discernible, because they were my renditions. But this habit has always stuck with me."
In 2019, Zaman was preparing for a solo painting exhibition, which was to be organised by the Bengal Foundation. The artworks from this show, however, were created during the Covid 19 pandemic and came into fruition from Zaman's experimentations.
"My works are mostly done in mixed media and they are usually accompanied by a few installations, videos, drawings, and texts. But I wanted to do a pure painting exhibition with Bengal, similar to what I had done back in 2010. However, as soon as I was about to begin my work, the pandemic hit, and I just could not get myself to focus," he said.
"I wondered at the time if this was the end of the world, and I just could not get myself to work. So, I turned to my notebooks. I normally drink tea at the office. I intentionally spilled some on it and I began experimenting. And that was the beginning," Zaman added.
"I don't use these notebooks for sketching. I take notes on them, I write poetry and I plan layouts of my artworks. I was stuck in such a headspace that I had a difficult time writing as well. So, I decided to put it on hold for the time being and I began drawing. I used the tea stains to give my works a new quality," he further said.
Since Zaman was experimenting with stains at the time, he recalled a technique he had seen used by local artisans in 1996. He had seen craftsmen create beautiful patterns on the ceiling of buses using the fire from a kupi (lamp). He had tried a similar technique on one of his canvases then, but the canvas caught on fire. More than two decades later, Zaman has mastered utilising smoke into his art.
"You can find these thick candles near mazars (mausoleums). These candles are not made of pure wax and they tend to produce a lot of smoke. I created stains on my paper and canvases using these, and if you apply fixatives afterwards, they tend to stay in place."
Zaman's artworks are almost haunting and captivating at the same time. Human figures and dismembered limbs are reoccurring forms. They always demand closer attention. But speaking to the artist helped contextualise the subject matter even further.
"Capitalism has failed us. It is not how it used to be, especially in the age of technology and information. It preys to exploit us. Even someone who stays at home can now be exploited using technology. If you wonder where the surveillance society came from, it came from technology and was made possible by capitalism," said Zaman. "Capitalism is surviving, but people are becoming schizophrenic. My show is called Noncelestial Optics, because we can't become celestial beings in this day and age; capitalism is preventing us from it."
Noncelestial Optics is open to all, from 4pm to 10pm, until Saturday, January 21.
TBS Picks: A selection of artworks from the show with a description from the artist
Noncelestial Optics. Mixed media on paper
These drawings are all part of the Noncelestial Optics series; I have not individually named them. We are surrounded by darkness and this artwork is about our struggles to make sure that the light, that is within us, does not go out. Some of us are afraid, some of us are hurt, some are braving forward, but we are all part of the same society. Everyone has their own unique struggle. But we are all forced to endure.
Noncelestial Optics. Mixed media mural
The times we live in are difficult. We are surrounded by technology, but it becomes futile when we can't use it to better the society we live in. We must save ourselves. This was done using glass markers and acrylic paint. Everything was done here at the venue before the opening of the show within the span of a few days.
Lost Prayer. Collage
I have addressed spirituality and the loss of spirituality in this work. I initially took a photo of a discarded plastic bag. I turned that photo into a collage by combining it with one of my other photographs. Then I photographed that collage again and continued the process. This is part of a series of artworks I have created using this technique.
