About Towfiq Rahman
Art is a process…. My art practice springs from this understanding. I try to represent the experience and emotions of daily existence in my work. To me, an exhibition is a part of the art process. Thus, this webpage is put together as a part of my practice. Sculpture fascinated me as an art student. I got the opportunity to study in China after completing my BFA. In Dhaka. In China the prime objective of education in sculpture was the naturalistic rendition of the figure while keeping the three dimensional quality of sculpture intact. Learning this was essential for me and had a considerable impact on my following work. At one point, however, I felt that this influence was obstructing my working process and I spent much time trying to understand myself. To me this too has bee a significant aspect of the art process. Ultimately it appeared to me that the most important aspect of sculpture is recognizing the characteristic and quality of the material used. I tried to add a different dimension to my work by going beyond the representation of reality or aesthetic preoccupations. In the attempt to preserve the characteristic of the material used, the work of this period retains a rough appearance which evidences the transformation of material and the working method employed. However, I have also tried to sustain the three dimensional quality of the medium of sculpture. All the sculptures presented at this exhibition are constructed of welded galvanized iron sheet. I have attempted to clearly present the heat and pressure which resulted of my work. I have tried to preserve the characteristic quality of iron sheet and welding, the material and method employed. Primarily my process begins with drawing. I try to understand myself by placing the represented object on the ground, by looking at it from different perspectives and following its transformation. In terms of subject matter, my own emotions and experiences, the flow of events of contemporary society and politics has naturally found a place in my work. The forms evolve through the synthesis of my senses and intellect. The agitation of the peasants at kansat, the garment workers and teachers, the fertility of the earth, birth, death and the eternal cycle of love and strife are reflected in my work just as it effects all human beings. It has been my aim to express the unified idea and objective of theme and method by calling this ‘wound’ .
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