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Remembering the Legacy of Kalidas Karmakar - A tribute by Shilpi Rahman on behalf of Bangladesh Forum Qatar
An artist never dies, his art always keeps him alive - Taarak Joshi
Kalidas Karmakar has departed but he will always be with us through his wonderful work.
Eminent artist Kalidas Karmakar was born in Niltuli in Faridpur city on January 10, 1946. Ekushey Padak winning artist Kalidas Karmakar, a painter and printmaker of international repute, passed away on 18th October, Friday afternoon. He was 73. He has left behind two daughters, Kanka Karmakar and Keya Karmakar, they live in the US. It almost feels like, it’s too early for an artist like him to leave this world, although he has given us so much. But the thirst of his fan is endless.
He completed his pre-degree study in Fine Arts at Dhaka University’s Institute of Fine Arts in 1964. Then he completed his graduation from the Government College of Fine Arts and Crafts in Kolkata in 1969.
Kalidas Karmakar had the largest number, 71 solo paintings at home and abroad. He has been working as a freelance artist all over the world since 1976. Apart from this he also has participated in numerous international team exhibitions and received lots of international honors. His promotion of the printing industry of Bangladesh through Graphic Tentelier-3 is commendable. He has been experimenting with various fellowships of modern art through contemporary artwork in India, Poland, France, Japan, Korea and America.
Kalidas has received numerous awards and accolades including the Shilpakala Padak in 2016 and the Ekushey Padak in 2018 for his contribution to fine arts.
He always loved to create something contemporary and different. Some of his works are very thought-provoking. His diverse artworks featuring found objects, handmade paper, and oil on canvas prints have been widely exhibited throughout South Asia, Middle East, Europe, and the United States.
The artist’s very first solo art exhibition was held at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy on August 7, 1976.
He won the Polish Government Scholarship in Graphic Art at the Warsaw Academy of Fine Art, Warsaw University; French Government Superior Scholarship in Fine Arts, for research in multicolour etching at Atelier-17, in Paris; Japan Foundation Fellowship on Japanese Woodblock Printing at Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music; ICCR Special Scholarship for research in Contemporary Modern Sculpture, West Bengal Lalit Kala Academy Studio; and Asian Cultural Council New York, Fellowship with Artist Residency program in the US.
In 2006, he had received an ACC Fellowship to participate in a residency at the PointB Worklodge in Brooklyn.
In March 2019, Kalidas Karmakar participated in an event ‘Bangladesh festival’ to celebrate the Independence Day of Bangladesh, organised by BFQ. His paintings were exhibited for 5 days in Katara cultural village, a live painting show in the colosseum of Katara cultural village with the local live music kept his audience mesmerised by his amazing skills. He also was the judge for little kids painting competition. Qatar people will treasure this wonderful memory forever.
