Anisur Rahman
Published : Wednesday, 17 December, 2014, Time : 12:00 AM
I am talking of a young Bengali cartoonist living in Scandinavia, holding three exhibitions this week, one in Sweden and two in Norway. The exhibitions mark the 200 years of constitutional recognition of freedom of expression in 1814.
Who is this Bengali cartoonist? If we do not forget, during the Fakhruddin Ahmed led and military controlled interim regime in Bangladesh 2007-2008, a Prothom Alo cartoonist was arrested and imprisoned for one of his cartoons published in its weekly fun magazine. Then, Arifur managed to leave Bangladesh to Norway on a scholarship as part of PEN programme.
The exhibition, titled Hurra on theme of freedom of exhibition at Ewert Karlsson Museum in the Swedish city Norrkoping will continue till April 26, 2015. Along with Arif, two other cartoonists from Syria and Mexico are showcasing their political cartoons.
The museum was found after the legendary Swedish political cartoonist Ewert Karlsson (1918-2004). The museum hosts a permanent exhibition of Ewert's political cartoons.
As the youngest artist Arifur is also taking part in two exhibitions at the Gallery E96 in Oslo and the Cartoon Museum in Drobak along with eight senior cartoonists of Norway. They are Finn Graff, Marvin Halleraker, Egil Nyhus, Firuz Kutal, Siri Dokken, Karl Gundersen, Herbjorn Skogstad, Hallvard Skauge and Ragna Handrum. The exhibitions will continue over December 2014.
Apart from a professional artist, Arifur is pursuing higher studies on graphic design and animation in Oslo.
- See more at: http://www.observerbd.com/2014/12/17/61172.php#sthash.a2yAHhao.1svwdLOE.dpuf
