‘Miniscope 2’ returns to prove less is more |

Dwip Gallery in Lalmatia opened its doors to the second exhibition of its kind, “Miniscope 2”, on April 26. Flaunting creative gateways for diverse artists from both Bangladesh and India, it is currently hosting miniature and endearing artworks. The gallery authorities issued a call for visual art submissions to both professional and non-professional artists during autumn last year, and the response was overwhelming. Eventually, 56 artists from Bangladesh and West Bengal were selected, and a collection of 116 artworks from them now adorn the gallery walls.

From ink work to acrylic, sculptures to photography, and watercolour to etching, Dwip is showcasing an array of imaginative artworks by said selected artists. The best aspect about “Miniscope 2” is that the artists were able to skillfully portray their thought process into a smaller volume specified by Dwip, which paved the way for a larger collection of art pieces to be accommodated in the gallery. 

Upon entering the first room, Sumana Akter’s “Punojonmo” series caught my eye. The humanoid trees in white on green backdrops made me gape at them curiously. There are some minimalistic artworks in black and white, including Farzana Ahmed Urmi’s “We Are Needed” series, giving weight to the legendary architect Mies Van der Rohe’s quote, “Less is more”. A Asan created dry pastel paintings, “Read the Dark”, with unique animal forms, which rather intrigued me.

The narrow corridor bore Anindita Datta Banti’s stunning and vibrant “Flower Composition” series, a set of acrylic paintings. Salma Zakia Bristy’s mixed-media abstract paintings look unique with real, antique jewelry attached to them. They somehow reminded me of Bangla novels written during British rule. A set of black backdrops held golden coloured metal work by Rezaul Karim Rezon, conveying the essence of the ancient craftwork of this sub-continent. Shibananda Adhikary Biplob’s “Images of Innocence 11” has an endearing white baby bird, which gave me a serotonin boost.

In the innermost room, on the dusk blue wall hung Ashang Mong’s “Endless Poetry”, reminding me scenes from seas and forests. Showrab Gosh’s “Intangible Sentiment” is a tiny yet powerfully thought-provoking piece, with delicate lines, strokes, and a bright red-orange background. Khurshid Jahan’s “Echoes of the Earth” in mixed media is a series that transported me to the world of fairy forests.

In short, the variety of artworks and their mediums, not to mention the proficiency of the artists, left me mesmerised. “Miniscope 2” is proof that small art pieces are just as capable of filling our souls as large-scale artwork is. Through this exhibition, Dwip has created a wonderful platform for rising artists while also creating networking opportunities for younger art enthusiasts. 

“Miniscope 2” will be run at Dwip Gallery till May 6.