Rangamoti 1955

Curator: Oh, I'm quite taken by this work; there is something incredibly arresting in the simplicity of Zainul Abedin’s "Rangamoti", dating from 1955. Just ink on paper—it feels almost immediate. What jumps out at you? Editor: Immediately? The soulful eyes of the monkey. It’s sitting there, sort of hunched, almost contemplative, with these piercing eyes, it is as though he were about to speak. Is this truly how rural Bengal is? Curator: It’s less a straightforward portrait and more a… well, a charged observation. Abedin often used ink drawings to capture the essence of his subjects, wouldn’t you agree? Especially focusing on everyday rural life of Bangladesh. And look at how he’s used rapid, confident strokes, that contrast of thick and thin. It lends the whole piece this vibrant energy. Editor: The rapid strokes do add to its animation; it could easily have become too sentimental, but it avoids it. I see this subject within a broader history of animal representation in colonial and post-colonial art, how images become charged with particular ideologies, speaking of power and otherness... is that reading too much into a little monkey drawing? Curator: Not at all! Considering Abedin's involvement with social realism, one could say that there's this sense of dignified, perhaps vulnerable, presence of his subjects; of speaking of the every-person and everyday Bengal. These swift strokes give dignity to our pensive subject; to any of us! And notice that background—bamboo maybe? Editor: It does add an element of environment without really specifying location—just an impression of habitat, again underscoring, if unintentionally, this question of ‘authenticity' and cultural identity which were crucial for mid-century post-colonial art production. I find the contrast of its dark fur with its environs really engaging. Curator: I agree! Well, on that reflective note, perhaps we can agree that “Rangamoti”, for all its apparent lightness, is carrying quite the weight on its furry shoulders. Editor: Absolutely. An image that speaks volumes with seemingly so few lines and raises endless questions. Always a mark of potent art!