Growing up in a family where cultural practices were a norm, Gulshan Hossain’s artistic abilities are an inherent part of her upbringing. Her father who was a CMO (chief medical officer) of the parliament was also a percussionist who won competitions as a student. He used to take her and her siblings to various historical and significant monuments and mansions and that is where Gulshan got her penchant of painting abandoned mansions. “The architecture and ambience of abandoned mansions call out to me and I can connect with the atmosphere. I grew up in a house hold where I have seen my family members practicing music, reading Tagore and poetry of Jibanananda Das. Many of my paintings have been inspired by these legendary personalities.” Her ancestry is quite impressive. Born in Bangladesh on September16, 1962 into the Syed family who, according to Gulshan, have remained socially, economically and politically prominent since the 14th century, her direct paternal ancestors were Shah Ali Baghdadi and Makhdum Shah DaulahShahid.
“I remember the fateful day when they killed my uncle and brother. I was just a little girl, confused and scared. The trauma later manifested its ugly face and again and again, my work portrays how deeply I was affected by the incident. I love my country and therefore I try to bring out the sacrifice and tragedy faced by millions during that time. Many families lost their loved ones and the hurt never goes away completely.”But her childhood was tainted with the trauma of losing several of her family members, including her eldest brother (Syed NasirulWahab), first cousin and uncles during the 1971 Liberation War. Many members of her family, including her nephew, Aiman Akbar Chowdhury (current NagarkandaUpazillaAwami League President), participated in the Liberation War as a freedom fighter. Her maternal grandfather, Moulvi Muhammad Musa, was an adviser to Nawab Sir KhwajaSalimullahBahadur while holding honorable and politically significant roles such as a Magistrate and subsequently the Registrar of Assurance under the British Raj.
Gulshan earned her name as an artist long before she got her professional training. She has won awards at both home and abroad, including two National awards and two Grand Awards. She pursued Bachelor of Fine Arts (Drawing and Painting), from the University of Development AlternativeDhaka, Bangladesh in 2006 and did not stop there but went on to pursue a masters from Winchester School of Art, University of Southampton, UK under Beth Harland in 2008. It is interesting to note that Gulshan’s first academic training came not in the form of arts but in the form of a MA Degree in Political Science in 1987 from Dhaka University. However, she took a serious interest in painting almost immediately after her graduation – as if to silently express the fact that it was her true passion and the Political Science degree was just a way to match her family’s expectations. She is a self-taught artist for the early part of her professional career.
“My paintings are largely influenced by the early 20th century art-movement of Post-Impressionism merged with the ideologies expressed in the Postmodernism movement. Many of my earlier works were ominously inspired by artist Aminul Islam who was a mentor, and then later further influenced by the knowledge I have received from Beth Harland, under whom I completed my MFA in the UK. The subject matters that speak aloud from my canvas and installations range from landscape, history, human emotions to socio-political issues.”
The artist is currently serving as an Assistant Professor of the Department of Painting at University of Development Alternative, Dhaka and is a member of the International Miniature Art Society of Florida, USA. Art enthusiasts can visit her website at www.gulshanhossain.com to see a list of the numerous awards she has won over time, the prestigious list of establishment and personalities who has her work in their collections and other details.Recently, Gulshan took part in a group exhibition at the Rogue Space, Chelsea. The Bangladesh Consulate General in New York in association with Gallery 21 in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and The New York Art Connection, hosted the exhibition where several Bangladeshi artists participated.
