Interaction of writing and image
One can pronounce things that are impossible to portray or depict and one can depict what is impossible to pronounce. Words and images are correlating, searching for each other continuously, despite of all differences. Perhaps it is art’s achievement to design a system of complete depiction through the medium of script and to find the appropriate means to write something down.
"Visual Poem" or Fragment of Reality
For Wakilur Rahman letters are still a rudimentary part of language that have been made optically perceptible. Conventional characters and letters can be identified as language. The artist, born in 1961 in Bangladesh, is using large modules of Chinese paper that he fills with characters drawn in ink, comparable to calligraphy. His “texts” are not to be read in succession as a unified whole. They are, rather, small private fragments similar to a diary record. The ink drawing and writing reveals technical imperfections, mental blockades and physical challenges. On the paper works, fragments of words and broken ink strokes connect to form a cryptic script. A kind of “composed visual poem” develops, since Rahman is ultimately not producing a handwritten version but is applying his ensembles of letters through a printing process.
Andrea Schmidt
Galerie Andrea Schmidt, Berlin
Biography: Wakilur Rahman
1961 born in Bangladesh
1976-1981 B.F.A. at Dhaka Art College, Dhaka, Bangladesh
1984-1986 M.F.A. at Central Academy of Fine Arts Peking, P.R. of China
since 1988 living in Berlin
Awards
1989 Honourable Mention, Annual International Exhibition of Miniature Art, Toronto, Canada
1994 First Prize in Graphic Media, National Young Artists' Exhibition, Dhaka, Bangladesh
1995 Honourable Mention, Norwegian International Print Triennale, Fredrikstad, Norway
1996 Third Prize, Agricola-Preis f?r Kunst und Wissenschaft, Glauchau, Germany
Young Artist 1996, National Young Artists' Exhibition, Bangladesh
Best Award, National Exhibition, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Solo exhibitions (selection)
1991 Galerie am Prater, Berlin
1992 Galerie de l'Alliance Fran?aise Dhaka, Bangladesh. Galerie Zunge, Berlin
1994 Goethe-Institut Dhaka, Bangladesh. Galerie im Pferdestall, Berlin (with Susanne Rast and Martin Wilke)
1995 Zainul Gallery, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Galerie D19, Chemnitz
1997 Indian Cultural Centre Gallery, Dhaka, Bangladesh
1998 Sharaknama, Liberation War Museum, Dhaka, Bangladesh
1999 Galerie Himmelreich, Magdeburg (with Kerstin G?rke)
2000 Studio Bildende Kunst, Berlin
2001 Goethe-Institut Dhaka, Bangladesh
2002 Villa Oppenheim, Berlin. Galerie F92, Berlin
2003 Gallery Chitrak, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Staedtische Galerie Eisenhuettenstadt
Galerie GLUECK21, Berlin
2004 Strandhalle Ahrenshoop (with Eberhard Hartwig). Galerie Ostpol, Berlin (with Simon Neidhard)
Galerie Abadi, Berlin (with J?rgen Kellig)
2005 Galerie de l'Alliance Fran?aise Dhaka, Bangladesh
2006 Galerie 100, Berlin (with Stefan Friedemann)
2007- Shilpangan Contemporary Art Gallery, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Participations in exhibitions (selection )
1995 Bangladesh - Andere Bilder, Kunstforum in der Grundkreditbank, Berlin
1996 Maloka, documenta-Halle, Kassel
K?chengeister, Galerie am K?rnerpark, Berlin
Ein Hauch von Sicherheit - Inszenierung eines ?ffentlichen und privaten Gef?hls, project exhibition at University of Arts, Berlin
2004 ZwischenWelten, 48 hours Neuk?lln, Berlin
Workshop and exhibition, Dhaka, Bangladesh
„19 graveurs du Bangladesh“, Atelier Lacouriere, Paris
2006 Kunst und Umwelt, St?dtische Galerie Wollhalle, G?strow
Since 1991 participating in international fairs, biennals and triennals in Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Cuba, France, Germany, India, Japan, Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Taiwan, and United Arab Emirates
Country: Bangladesh
E-mail: info@wakil.de
Site: www.wakil.de