Fareha Zeba

Fareha Zeba

From the Artist: 
Environment and experiences influences my painting . The art represents my subconscious; it’s an attempt to visually represent and express it in an organic way. From when I was a child, I symbolic representations attracted me. Spiritual and religious themes often permeate into my work. I believe human beings by nature are curious and long to find the hidden truth in all things.

My work has gone through a number of phases. I have always been interested in the human body. As I explore and think about domestic spaces and the objects in them, it led me to think of the human mind as its own space, which in turn made it the my subject of study.

I like working in all mediums. In using paint or collage, I attempt to explore the way the mediums interact with the other materials – be it complementary or otherwise. I consider such curiosity both primal and private, both universal and yet personal. I try to portray my observations and understandings through a continuous experiment, mainly based on manipulating the surface, by creating different layers, textures and details. I feel it improves my imagery.

In my recent works, Untitled-3 and Untitled-4 I have tried to depict a woman as a source of power. Woman is the dominant theme of my work. To me, a woman is an unraveled mystery, an enigma. In my work, I represent women as I see them, but feel that a veil still prevents the full revelation of their mystery. My method, once I start expressing myself on canvas, is to let the work take its own course and naturally resolve itself.

Born:  1961
Hometown: Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Education: B.F.A.:  1982, Institute of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh
M.F.A.:  1985, Institute of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

1991            1st Solo Art Exhibition, La Galarie, Dhaka.
1994            2nd Solo Art Exhibition, La Galarie, Dhaka.
1996            3rd Solo Art Exhibition, La Galarie, Dhaka.
1998            4th Solo Art Exhibition, ‘Homage to Frida Kahlo’, Gallery-21, Dhaka.
2003            5th Solo Art Exhibition, ‘Twilight Magic’, Gallery Chitrak, Dhaka.
2009            6th Solo Art Exhibition, ‘Recent Work’, Gallery Kaya, Dhaka.

CARNIVAL & FESTIVAL EXPERIENCES

2000:    Participated in ‘Images of World Art’ – an international festival in Denmark.
2009:    Participated with Masks and wagon design in Cologne Carnival, Germany.
2010:    Participated with Masks and wagon pared in Cologne Carnival, Germany.

RECENT GROUP EXHIBITIONS

• 2005:    Image in the Mirror – An Exhibition to collect fund for Tsunami Victims held at the residence of the US Ambassador, Dhaka.
  • 16th National art exhibition, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Dhaka.
  • Colors of SHAKO, Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts, Dhaka.
  • Shako Group show, Art and soul Gallery, Dhaka.
  • DHL art competition & workshop, arranged by DUL Bangladesh, Dhaka.

• 2006:    Group show, Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts, Dhaka.
  • Women for Women healing brush strokes, Cymroza Art Gallery, Mumbai, India.
  • Rembrandt 400 celebration exhibition, Art and soul Gallery, Dhaka.
  • Group show, Gallery Chawkandi, Karachi, Pakistan.

• 2007:    Poem and painting, Chitrak Art Gallery, Dhaka.
  • Group show, New Hwnail Gallery, Lahore, Pakistan
  • “20 Women Artists of Bangladesh” American Club. Dhaka.
  • “Expressions of Shako” Alliance Francis, Dhaka.
  • Liberation, Exhibition of paintings by 30 leading artists, Liberation War Museum, Dhaka
  • Miniature art Exhibition, Drik Gallery, Dhaka.
  • “Violence against Woman “Group show, Chitrak Art Gallery, Dhaka.
  • “Shades of Shako”, Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts, Dhaka.
  • Shako, Group show, British High Commission Club, Dhaka.
  • New Gallery Opening of Standard Chartered bank, Dhaka.

• 2008    Dwayers international workshop for woman, 2008. Atelier Alexandria, Egypt.
  • Shako, International Woman’s Day, Sponsored by Monsoon letters, Banani, Dhaka.
  • Contemporary Art of Bangladesh, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh, Dhaka
  • Art in the Atrium, U.S.Embassy, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
  • Paintings of 34 Leading Artists of Bangladesh, ChitA Art Gallery, Dhaka.
  • 13th Asian Art Biennial, Bangladesh Shilpakaia Academy, Dhaka
  • Colours of Bangladesh, Islamabad, Pakistan.
  • Print Makers Exhibition, Shilpangon Art Gallery, Dhaka.

• 2009: 18th National Art Exhibition, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy
  • Dhaka. Colours & Impressions, Radisson Water Garden Hotel, Dhaka.
  • “Essence of Shako” Group show, Chitrak Art Gallery, Dhaka.
  • Nepal Rendezvous, Group show, Siddhartha Art Gallery, Kathmandu, Nepal.
  • Contemporary Artist 4, Zainut Gallery, Faculty of Fine Art University of Dhaka.
  • Nepal Rendezvous Workshop, Featuring works, Group show, Siddhartha Art Gallery Kathmandu, Nepal

• 2010:  101 artists Art camp exhibition, Art center, Dhaka.
  • The sixth Annual artist’s Group of Charlestown (AGC) Spring Art Exhibition
  • Stove Factory Gallery, Charlestown, MA, USA
  • Somerville Open Studios, Center for Arts at the Armory, Somerville.MA.USA
• 2011: Rooted Creativity 8, Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts, Dhaka.
  • Celebration, Shako, Dhaka Art center, Dhaka
  • Rabindra Nama, Print exhibition, Dhaka Art center, Dhaka
  • 19th National  Art exhibition, Shilpakala Academy, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
  • Group show, Chitrak Art Gallery, Dhaka.
  • Express yourself group show, Dhaka Art center, Dhaka.
• 2012: Freedom in Creativity, Gallery Kaya, Dhaka.
  • Eminent printmakers of Bengal, Chitrak Art Gallery, Dhaka.
  • Dhaka Art Summit, Shilpakala Academy, Dhaka, Bangladesh

WORKSHOPS

• 1993:  Assisted in 15 different Mask making workshops in Denmark.
  • International art camp, Oulu, Finland.
• 1995:  A month long workshop on Graphic Art arranged by Shilpakala Academy
  • `Art Camp’ organized by Goethe Institute, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
• 2004:  Art camp for alternate visualization and thinking, Chitrak Art Gallery, Dhaka.
• 2006:  8 days long Art Camp, Women for Women healing brush strokes, Mumbai, India.
  • Art camp (Rembrandt 400 year birthday celebration) Gulshan, Dhaka.
• 2007:  Art work shop at liberation War Museum premises, Dhaka.
  • Day long Natural dies Workshop arranged by Arana and Bengal Foundation at Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts, Dhaka.
  • 5 Day Long Miniature art workshop conduct by Waseem Ahmed, arranged by Britto, Dhaka
• 2008:  Dwayers international workshop for woman, 2008. 25th January to 8th February, Alexandria, Egypt.
  • A day long- painting Workshop (World food programme) Chitrak Art Gallery, Dhaka.
  • Conduct day long art workshop at Islamabad, Pakistan
• 2009:  A day long- painting Workshop (World food programme) Chitrak Art Gallery, Dhaka.
  • Nepal Rendezvous, Art camp 2009.2 June -25th June, Nagarkot, Nepal.
• 2010:  Art camp, 1st and 2nd January 2010, Art center, Dhaka.
  • A day long workshop, conduct by Aziz Sharafi, Art center, Dhaka.
  • Bengal Art camp 2010, 29th July – 1stAugust, Bengal center, Dhaka.
  • Art camp, 2010, Art center, Dhaka.
  • Britto International artist’s workshop 2010, Sonargaon, Dhaka.
  • Nari o Muktijudha art camp arranged by Shako, Shilpakala Academy.
• 2011:  “Express yourself” 3 days long serigraphy workshop, Arranged by U.S. Embassy at Gallery Kaya, Dhaka.