Making poetry of art

His art pays tribute to nature and woman. Starting on Tuesday, artist Rakeeb Hassan will be showcasing 25 of his acrylic and oil paintings in a solo exhibition at the Jehangir Art Gallery. And while most of this Canada-based artist’s works are abstract figurative paintings, he also likes to experiment with collage.

But the common theme running through all the paintings is woman and nature. “They impress me more than anything in the world,” says Rakeeb. “I think women are the most powerful influences in society. And of course, nature is all-powerful.” His show titled ‘Mystic Metaphor’ takes its inspiration from his wife, who is a poet. “My wife inspires me. But I also get a lot of my inspiration from poetry,” he reveals. “That said, I write poetry too, and for that I get my inspiration from art,” he adds, laughing. And when it’s not his wife or poetry that’s moving him to paint, it’s other inspirational figures. One of Rakeeb’s paintings is dedicated to Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Professor Wangari Mathaai who worked tirelessly for many years to raise environmental awareness.

Born in rural Bangladesh, Rakeeb grew up weaving poetic muses, writing short stories and working as a journalist for a weekly magazine. He first realised his potential when he illustrated a book cover. So after 10 years of studying and honing his skills in Kenya, he relocated to Canada. And from there, Rakeeb has been travelling around the world showcasing his paintings.

His current show, ‘Mystic Metaphor’, is part of a three country tour – Kenya, India and Bangladesh, and is on till June 4.