// Workers AI · dad joke modeIs Alakesh Ghosh a good baker? He kneads the dough.
Alakesh Ghosh | |
|---|---|
অলকেশ ঘোষ | |
| Born | 15 August 1950 Mymensingh District, East Bengal, Dominion of Pakistan |
| Education | Government Institute of Arts (now Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka) |
| Known for | Watercolour painting |
| Movement | Contemporary art |
| Awards | Shilpakala Padak (2018) |
Alakesh Ghosh (Bengali: অলকেশ ঘোষ; born 15 August 1950) is a Bangladeshi watercolour painter.[1][2] He is known for his watercolour landscapes depicting rural Bengal, rivers, boats, and historical sites of Dhaka.[3][4] He received the Shilpakala Padak in 2018.[2]
Early life and education
[edit]Alakesh Ghosh was born on 15 August 1950 in Mymensingh District, East Bengal, Dominion of Pakistan (in the present-day Jamalpur District, Bangladesh).[2][1] His village is close to the Brahmaputra River, where he spent his childhood.[5] He lost his father at the age of eight.[2]
He enrolled at the Government Institute of Arts (now the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka) in 1967 and graduated in 1972.[6][4] His teachers included Zainul Abedin, Quamrul Hassan, Safiuddin Ahmed, and Mohammad Kibria.[4][7]
Career
[edit]Ghosh began his career as a freelance artist and worked as a designer for the newspapers Dainik Bangla and Bichitra.[7] He has participated in numerous group exhibitions in Bangladesh, Japan, and India.[7] His first solo exhibition was held in Boston, United States, in 1981.[6][2] In 1990, he participated in an art auction at Harvard University.[6]
In 2007, the Bengal Foundation produced a 24-minute documentary on Ghosh titled Jal Chobi / Water Play, directed by Shabnam Ferdausi.[6][8] In 2017, a solo exhibition of his work was held at the Bangladesh National Museum, where a book on his life and work, Life and Works: Alakesh Ghosh, was launched.[1][3]
In 2025, he participated in the group exhibition "Art show brings together artists from five countries" organised by Gallery Cosmos.[9]
Artistic practice
[edit]Ghosh works primarily in watercolour, though he has also used oils, acrylics, and mixed media.[7] His subjects include riverine landscapes, rural life, boats, historical sites of Old Dhaka (including Panam Nagar and Sonargaon), and portraits.[5][4][3] He has produced about 1,000 watercolours on Dhaka alone.[4]
Ghosh has cited Mohammad Kibria, Rafiqun Nabi, Monirul Islam, Quamrul Hassan, and Safiuddin Ahmed as influences.[7] He has also drawn inspiration from Western artists such as Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cézanne, and Paul Gauguin.[7]
Selected exhibitions
[edit]Solo exhibitions
[edit]Group exhibitions
[edit]Awards and recognition
[edit]Ghosh received the Shilpakala Padak in 2018 from the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.[2] A book on his life and work, Life and Works: Alakesh Ghosh (ISBN 9789843397225), was published by Cosmos Books in 2016.[13]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 "Portraying the picturesque beauty of Bangladesh". The Daily Star. 17 October 2017. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Want to remain unstoppable to bring pride for country: Alakesh Ghosh". Dhaka Courier. 26 July 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Alakesh depicts rural life, landscape". New Age. 30 May 2026. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Haq, Fayza (13 May 2006). "Alakesh Ghosh: A painter with a penchant for landscapes". The Daily Star. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 "A grouping of diverse styles, mediums and themes". The Daily Star. 21 September 2010. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "The Forms and Poetry of Nature". Bengal Foundation. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Haq, Fayza (23 April 2007). "Alakesh's pristine washes". The Daily Star. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- ↑ "Jalachabi: Alakeśa Ghosha = Water play: Alakesh Ghosh". University of Pennsylvania Libraries. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- 1 2 "Art show brings together artists from five countries". New Age. 29 November 2025. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- ↑ "Solo Painting Exhibition by Alakesh Ghosh". Dhaka Art Center. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- ↑ "19th Asian Art Biennale Bangladesh 2022". Asian Art Biennale. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- ↑ "Group show displays 500 artworks". New Age. 12 February 2026. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- ↑ "Alakesh Ghosh: Life and Works". Iberlibro. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
External links
[edit]- Alakesh Ghosh at Dhaka Art Center