Gallery Chitrak is currently hosting “In Search of Heritage: A Travel to Varendra”, a group exhibition by some of the country’s most celebrated artists, led by Professor Emeritus Rafiqun Nabi. The exhibition draws from their recent journey to the Varendra region of Chapainawabganj and surrounding areas.
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Artist Prof Syed Abul Barq Alvi, Chairperson of Durjoy Bangladesh Foundation Durjoy Rahman, Vice Chairperson of DBL Group M A Rahim Feroz, and Chairperson of Pashmi Sweaters Limited Md Mashiul Azam attended the inauguration as special guests. Rafiqun Nabi and his wife, Nazma Begum, jointly inaugurated the exhibition on January 30, 2026.
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Born in Chapainawabganj, Rafiqun Nabi spent his childhood between his maternal and paternal grandparents’ homes, absorbing the rural beauty of the region; an experience that shaped his artistic sensibility. Seeking to reconnect with those roots, he led a group of fellow artists, whom he fondly described as “always easily convinced”, on a creative expedition across Varendra.
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The participating artists include Prof Syed Abul Barq Alvi, Mahfuzur Rahman, Rezaun Nabi, Ahmed Shamsuddoha, Sheikh Afzal, Nisar Hossain, Shishir Bhattacharjee, Muniruzzaman, and Shamsul Alam Innan.
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The exhibition unfolds like a visual travel diary. The iron-rich reddish-brown soil, rural landscapes, animals, architecture, and the indigenous communities of Varendra feature prominently. Prof Nabi, known for his figure drawings, portrayed local inhabitants and families engaged in everyday life. A child eating watermelon evokes the familiar warmth of his illustrations once seen in Bangla textbooks.
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Ahmed Shamsuddoha’s portrait of a Santal man and his home, along with pastoral scenes of cattle in open fields, are rendered with striking realism. Mahfuzur Rahman’s top views and façade studies reflect architectural precision.
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Prof Alvi presented abstract compositions in soothing palettes, while Rezaun Nabi employed translucent strokes to capture rural simplicity. His understated portraits, including that of a Santal woman and a family on a bicycle; bring warmth to the gallery space. Sheikh Afzal painted a Santal woman alongside a scene of the artists walking along the banks of the Mahananda River.
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Shishir Bhattacharjee depicted Santal homes and cultural elements, while Nisar Hossain highlighted the abundance of mangoes in Chapainawabganj through bold forms. Shamsul Alam Innan illustrated mango-picking traditions, and Muniruzzaman used muted grey tones to portray Varendra’s landscape and people.
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Overall, the exhibition not only reflects the topography and cultural richness of Varendra but also showcases the distinct artistic expressions of some of Bangladesh’s most established artists.
The exhibition will run until February 20, 2026, at Gallery Chitrak.
