Art can express what words cannot

In the ‘Silent Expressions’ exhibition, hearing-impaired artist Fareena Samhee Nethee brings to light the deepest human emotions, powerful messages, and beautiful stories that cannot be expressed in words.

The ten-day solo exhibition is being held at the Batighar Art Space of Asiatic Center in Banani, Dhaka.

The exhibition is organized by Mangaldwip Foundation, which contributes to social development through art and culture.

In collaboration with Vertex Chambers and Sajida Foundation, the exhibition features a specially curated collection of artist Fareena’s acrylic paintings, where the brush on canvas is revealed as a unique medium of expression beyond the boundaries of words.

Fareena Samhee Nethee has developed her practice through workshops and group exhibitions. Her work has previously been shown at national and international venues.

Rubaba Daula, Country Managing Director of Oracle Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan, inaugurated the exhibition as chief guest. She stated that the deepest feelings, most powerful messages and most significant personal narratives cannot always be expressed in words, and described the exhibition as an example of this principle.

Special guests included actor and painter Afzal Hossain and Md. Moniruzzaman, Executive Director of Gallery Chitrak. Afzal Hossain noted that the expression of human feeling is not limited to language and requires deeper perception. He encouraged visitors to engage with the works on that basis.

Barrister Junaid Chowdhury represented Vertex Chambers, and Barrister Sajeda Farisa Kabir attended on behalf of the Sajida Foundation. Sara Zaker, Chairperson of the Mangaldwip Foundation, was present with Executive Director Shriya Sarbjaya and other officials of the organization.

Sara Zaker said the exhibition is the artist’s first solo presentation and that the works on display form only part of her larger body of work. She added that the artist paints at night as a means of managing stress and that art can serve as a source of mental equilibrium.

The artist regards visual art as a means of communication beyond linguistic limits. The exhibition title reflects this view: that canvas and color can convey what words frequently cannot. Color and form constitute the primary means of expression in the works. Not words, but color is their language - the language of emotions, dreams, and life's stories.

The exhibition is curated by Faridur Rahman Rajib, Art Director of Asiatic Marketing and Communications Limited, and comprises 61 acrylic paintings. It is open to the public daily from 4 pm to 8 pm until 10 August.