S. M. Sultan was one of the greatest
personalities in this district. His full name is Sheikh Mohammed Sultan
(10 August, 1923 to 10 October, 1994), was a Bangladesh avant-garde
artist who worked in painting and drawing. His fame rests on his
striking depictions of exaggeratedly muscular Bangladeshi peasants
engaged in the activities of their everyday lives. For his achievement
in fine arts, he was awarded with the Ekushey Padak in 1982; the
Bangladesh Charu Shilpi Sangsad Award in 1986; and the Independence Day
Award in 1993. His works are exhibited in several major collections in
Bangladesh, including the Bangladesh National Museum, the National Art
Gallery (Bangladesh), the S.M. Sultan Memorial Museum, and the Bengal
Foundation.
Sultan was born in Machimdia village, in
what was then Jessore District, British India (now Narail District,
Bangladesh) on 10 August 1923. After five years of primary education at
Victoria Collegiate School in Narail, he went to work for his father, a
mason. Even as a child he felt a strong artistic urge. He seized every
opportunity to draw with charcoal, and developed his talent depicting
the buildings his father worked on. Sultan wanted to study art in
Calcutta (Kolkata), but his family did not have the means to send him.
Eventually, he secured financial support from the local zamindar and
went to Calcutta in 1938.
There
poet and art critic Hasan Shahid Suhrawardy restyled him S. M. Sultan
and offered him accommodation in his home and the use of his library.
Sultan did not meet the admissions requirements of the Government School
of Art, but in 1941 managed to get in with the help of Suhrawardy, who
was on the school’s governing body. Under Principal Mukul Chandra Dey
the school deemphasized the copying of Old Masters and moved beyond
Indian mythological, allegorical, and historical subjects. Students were
encouraged to paint contemporary landscapes and portraits expressing
original themes from their own life experience.
The art gallery in Narail at S. M. Sultan
Memorial contains collection of his paintings. A significant portion of
first and second floor is occupied by his paintings. This artist was
concerned about preserving his works. S. M. Sultan had a boat by which
he used to have a pleasure trip over the river Chitra. This boat was
placed beside his house, also beside the river itself. A boat race
locally known as Nouka Baich used to hold every year at River Chitra. It
is probably during the birth day of the artist. It will be best if you
can visit the place during that time.
How To Go:
It is located in Narail district of
Khulna division. After reaching Narail you may take van or rickshaw from
anywhere from the town to come here. GPS Coordinate of the S. M. Sultan
Memorial is (23° 9’29.65″N, 89°30’13.01″E).
Things To Do:
Eating Facilities:
There are no eating facilities in the memorial. If you are hungry you have to search for restaurants or fast food shops nearby.
Source: http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/s-m-sultan-memorial/
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