Abu Jafar (Visual Artist / Sculptor) is an acclaimed leading International artist and Philosopher of the arts who lives and work in United Kingdom. Born on March 21, 1968 in a small village called Jhilna, Patuakhali, Bangladesh. He studied fine arts, painting and drawing at the Institute of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh 1984/89, Master Drawing of the human figure at the Guildhall University,
Abu Jafar (Visual Artist / Sculptor) is an acclaimed leading International artist and Philosopher of the arts who lives and work in United Kingdom. Born on March 21, 1968 in a small village called Jhilna, Patuakhali, Bangladesh. He studied fine arts, painting and drawing at the Institute of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh 1984/89, Master Drawing of the human figure at the Guildhall University, London 1989/90, Art and Art History at the Goldsmith’s College, University of London 1991/92 and Philosophy of Arts at the Open University, 1997 UK. In 2007 Become an Associates Member of the Royal British Society of Sculptors, He become a Fellow of Digswell Arts Trust 2011 and 2009 become a Member of Sculpture Network. He works and live in United Kingdom “Jafar’s grasp of subject power of vision and ability to assimilate may surprise many” -Writer Anis Choudhury-Dhaka “Abu Jafar is a committed and established artist with a strong exhibition record in the UK. His use of a rich range of media and breadth of concern have earned the artist the wide respect of his peers in London” -Marjorie Allthorpe-Guyton, Director of Visual Arts, The Arts Council of England. UK “ Abu Jafar is a very energetic and gifted artist who has worked in a wide range of media, including installation/ performance as well as sculpture and painting.” -Isoble Johnston , Curator , Arts Council Collection London UK "His installations are placed in our public spaces -in amongst our everyday lives. Their beauty and lack of pomp garners our curiosity-we approaches them openly. Curiosity is the most wonderful of human instincts because it removes us from the momentum of our day lives and it opens our minds. In opening our minds we can explore new ideas, imagine positive change and therefore create our own new sense of coherence. This coherence gives us hope; hope gives us the ability to create our own futures based on the new context we find ourselves in. Abu's work isn't an explanation of hope, it is a gift of hope to those who engage with it" -Anne Cunningham - Chief Executive The Art House "Hope can be static and even negative but a positive form of hope perhaps involves the movement of a journey. Abu Jafar's series of installations invites a 'journey' from one to the next, but the viewer can also journey among them, catching the changing reflection of light through the various piece of coloured glasswork, studying the carving lines of patches of colour inscribed on each installation...Making meanings of all this can be seen as a form of fruitful involvement, of hope" -Mark Treharne – Author “ What impresses a viewer a Jafar’s painting though his meager output not withstanding, is a sense of total dedication that he brings to in his work. One feels that Jafar is pouring out his whole being in his work, which speaks of his deep convictions and his belief in humanity and the power of love to transform the world, Amour Vincent Omni a could as will be a natural theme for Jafar”. -Professor Dr. S. Manzoorul Islam, University of Dhaka. “His work is vibrant in colour and depicts the brighter side of lie, paintings of internal love between man and woman as well as humanity and harmony between people. The desire to depict on canvas a world free of suffering and social injustice has been furled by his own experiences and his determination to succeed as an artist has given him a greater insight into the struggle of others” -Debbie Sellman, Art Critic, London. The blurring of distinction between figure and ground is a major factor in decorative art. In the classical arabesque rhythm and pattern sweep both terms into an active mixture. In Islamic traditions writing and decorative design become similarly fused, design and sign become one form. Jafar’s work welds together signature and painterly decoration as a ground, which then, (after a while) emerges as a figure working energetically within the environment. This shared emerging figure is endlessly at home because it continually draws its own ground. Rather than basing a landscape on a grid we find its foundation in the movement of a dynamic arabesque in a flourish of signatures. -Phil king, Artist & Art critic, London
Over two decades of my artistic journey, I have had more than 127 exhibitions including 24 solo, 7 two-person and more than
96 group exhibitions here in UK and abroad. My artworks have been collected all over the world. In 2011, I become a Fellow of
Digswell Arts, UK.
I studied fine arts, painting and drawing at the Institute of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh 1984/89, Master Drawing of
the human figure - Guildhall University, London in1989/90 UK, Art and Art History, Goldsmith’s College, University of London UK
in 1991/92 and Philosophy of Arts, Open University 1997 UK. In 2007 Become an Associates Member of the Royal British
Society of Sculptors and 2011 become a Fellow of Digswell Arts Trust, UK.
Taking my inspiration from psychology, philosophy, classical music as well as day-to-day human existence. By producing art
that is far from traditional, I am actively attempting to shatter staid ideas of the past regarding art; my art is the synthesis of colour,
element and presentation twisted into unusual form. Most of my large scale Installations involved nature, public and the
environment. My work simplifies our daily lives and the diversity of mankind in my imaginative notion in a way that reflects
imaginative power and ever changing creative forces of new formative arts.
Here are some comments about my work and me:
“Abu Jafar is a committed and established artist with a strong exhibition record in the UK. His use of a rich range of media and
breadth of concern have earned the artist the wide respect of his peers in London.”
-Marjorie Allthorpe-Guyton, Former Director of Visual Arts, The Arts Council of England. UK
“ Abu Jafar is a very energetic and gifted artist who has worked in a wide range of media, including installation/ performance as
well as sculpture and painting.”
-Isoble Johnston , Former Curator , Arts Council Collection London UK
"His installations are placed in our public spaces -in amongst our everyday lives. Their beauty and lack of pomp garners our
curiosity-we approaches them openly. Curiosity is the most wonderful of human instincts because it removes us from the
momentum of our day lives and it opens our minds. In opening our minds we can explore new ideas, imagine positive
change and therefore create our own new sense of coherence. This coherence gives us hope; hope gives us the ability to create
our own futures based on the new context we find ourselves in. Abu's work isn't an explanation of hope, it is a gift of hope to
those who engage with it"
-Anne Cunningham - Chief Executive The Art House
2
"Hope can be static and even negative but a positive form of hope perhaps involves the movement of a journey. Abu Jafar's series
of installations invites a 'journey' from one to the next, but the viewer can also journey among them, catching the changing
reflection of light through the various piece of coloured glasswork, studying the carving lines of patches of colour inscribed on
each installation...Making meanings of all this can be seen as a form of fruitful involvement, of hope"
-Mark Treharne – Author
“ What impresses a viewer a Jafar’s painting though his meager output not withstanding, is a sense of total dedication that he
brings to in his work. One feels that Jafar is pouring out his whole being in his work, which speaks of his deep convictions and his
belief in humanity and the power of love to transform the world, Amour Vincent Omni a could as will be a natural theme for
Jafar”.
-Professor Dr. S. Manzoorul Islam,University of Dhaka.
“His work is vibrant in colour and depicts the brighter side of life, paintings of internal love between man and woman as well as
humanity and harmony between people. The desire to depict on canvas a world free of suffering and social injustice has been
furled by his own experiences and his determination to succeed as an artist has given him a greater insight into the struggle of
others”
-Debbie Sellman, Art Critic, London.
“Jafar’s grasp of subject power of vision and ability to assimilate may surprise many”
- Late Anis Choudhury-Dhaka (Writer)
The blurring of distinction between figure and ground is a major factor in decorative art. In the classical arabesque rhythm and
pattern sweep both terms into an active mixture. In Islamic traditions writing and decorative design become similarly fused, design
and sign become one form. Jafar’s work welds together signature and painterly decoration as a ground, which then, (after a while)
emerges as a figure working energetically within the environment. This shared emerging figure is endlessly at home because
it continually draws its own ground. Rather than basing a landscape on a grid we find its foundation in the movement of a
dynamic arabesque in a flourish of signatures.
-Phil king, Artist & Art critic, London
EXHIBITIONS
One person Exhibitions
2015 Rich Mix Gallery
London UK
2014 Shanghai, China.
2013 “Ekush Bochor Sheshe”
Retrospective solo Exhibition at The Bangladesh National Gallery, ( Shilpo Kala Academy ) Dhaka, Bangladesh
2012 Ekush Bochor- IAC, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Fenners Building, Letchworth UK
2011 Hope @2021 Visual Arts Center
Scunthorpe, UK
Celebration @ Wakefield
Wakefield Cathedral, UK
2010 Abu Jafar – [email protected]
Beam sculpture park, Wakefield, UK
Abu Jafar – [email protected] Monnow Valley
Monnow Valley Arts Centre, UK
3
2009 GSK Harlow, UK
2008 The Art House, Wakefield, UK
2002 White Letter 2002, Installation at Trafalgar Sq, London UK
2001 McDowell Modern Art, London, UK.
2000 Abu Jafar Open, London, UK
1996 Snow flower-
Installation with snow & glass
Brockhall Village, Lancashire, UK.
1994 So much to tell about,
Spitalfields Market, London, UK
1995 COMMUNICATION
Installation at the Changing Room Gallery, London, UK
1993/4 New End Theatre Gallery
London, UK
1993 “Unknown love”
Bonnington Square, London, UK
A letter to Eleanor
The York Hall , London, UK
SWEET LOVE
The York Hall, London UK
1992 RELATION IN- BETWEEN NATURE , PAINTING AND LIFE
Raymont Hall, Goldsmiths College, University of London, London UK
1990 THE DEWS OF THE MORNINGThe
British Council, Dhaka Bangladesh
1989 The High Hall, University of Birmingham, UK
Two person Exhibitions
2015 Open House, Kings Langley, UK
2006 Grand Design Lives, Excel London, UK
2005 Barn-B Open Studio 05, St. Albans, UK
1994 Spitalfields Market, London UK
1991 USSR, Cultural Centre, Dhaka Bangladesh
Group Exhibitions
2016 Open Studio, Letchworth Garden City.
Christmas Exhibition, Letchworth Garden City.
2015 Art of the Glass
Sculpt Gallery, Colchester, UK
Firistsite Open 2015
Firstsite, Lewis Gardens, Colchester, UK
Lubomirov Easton Editions 15
Lubomirov Easton, London UK
Towards Abstraction
Gallery Argentum, London UK.
Open Studio, Letchworth Garden City, UK
2014 The ArtPark International, St Martin Guernsey, UK
“Longest Day” Letchworth Garden City, UK
4
Open Studio, Letchworth Garden City, UK
2013 The ArtPark International, St Martin Guernsey, UK
“Time line” Letchworth Garden City, UK
Open Studio, Letchworth Garden City, UK
National Gallery, Shilpakal Academy, Dhaka, Bangladesh
2012 The ArtPark International, St Martin Guernsey, UK
Summer Open Studio, Letchworth Garden City, UK
7th Annual Atelier East Summer Exhibition, Wisbech & Fenland Museum, Wisbech, UK
Open Studio, Letchworth Garden City, UK
National Gallery, Shilpakal Academy, Dhaka, Bangladesh
2011 UNEARTHED – Warton House, Stratford, London UK
Summer Exhibition, Kings Langley, UK
The ArtPark International, St Martin Guernsey, UK
Art Walk, The Art House, Wakefield, UK
Art Walk, The Art House, Wakefield, UK
Art Walk, The Art House, Wakefield, UK
2010 The ArtPark International, St Martin Guernsey, UK
Art Walk, The Art House, Wakefield, UK
Art Walk, The Art House, Wakefield, UK
Art Walk, The Art House, Wakefield, UK
2009 Art Mazia, Massy, France
Glasshaus IV, The Gallery, Parndon Mill, Harlow Essex, UK
Art Walk, The Art House, wakefield, UK
One Church Street Gallery, Great Missenden, UK
Asia House London, UK.
The Sculpture Park, Surry, UK
2008 Botanic Garden, Leicester University, Leicester. UK.
The Art House, Wakefield, UK.
Open Studio, The Art House, Wakefield, UK
Asia House London, UK
Glasshaus III, The Gallery, Parndon Mill, Harlow Essex, UK
The Sculpture Park, Surry, UK
2007 Margaret Harvey Gallery Open Exhibition
Margaret Harvey Gallery, ST. Albans, UK
Canterbury Festival Art Fair,
The University College for the Creative Arts, Canterbury UK
Glasshaus II,
The Gallery, Parndon Mill, Harlow Essex, UK
5
Autumn Exhibition 07, Angela Mellor Gallery, Ely, Cambridgeshire, UK
Open Studio 07
Burghley Sculpture Garden, Stamford, Lincolnshire UK
Asia House London, UK
Aubourn Hall & Gardens, Lincoln, UK
The Forge Studio and Gallery" Heriard, Basingstoke, Hampshire, UK
2006 The Brownston Gallery, Modbury, Devon, UK
The Gallery, Harlow, UK
Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, Romsey, UK
Diligence International in Devon
Newcross Healthcare Solutions in Devon
2005 The National Glass Fair 2005, St. Albans, Hertfordshire, UK
The Studio Glass Gallery, London. UK
The Gallery, Harlow, UK
New London Glass, London UK
Artshed Gallery, Ware, UK
2001 McDowell Modern Art, London UK
McDowell Modern Art, London UK
2000 GANG-Blackheath Hall, London UK
Aartvark Gallery, Leed, UK
Atlantis Gallery, London UK
Open Studio Trinity Buoy Wharf, London UK
1999 LETEC Exhibition, London UK.
OPEN STUDIO -Trinity Buoy Wharf, London UK
Alternative Arts Exhibition, London UK
Trinity Buoy Wharf Group, London UK
1998 THE WHITECHAPEL OPEN 98, London UK
Hidden Art Spitz Gallery, London UK
1997 LETEC Exhibition, London UK
1996 SCORCHED Brockhall Village, Lancashire UK
1995 Platform Art Gallery, Clitheroe, Lancashire UK
FIRST OPEN STUDIO Brockhall Village, Lancashire UK
1994 LVS Resource Centre, London UK
Devenant Centre, London UK
6
1993/4 CONTRIBUTIONS of Panchayat, Spitalfields Market, London
The York Hall, London
TEXACO BUILDING Westerry Circus, Canary Wharf, London
The Concourse Gallery, Barbican Centre, London
1992 SYMPTOM Brixton Art Gallery , London
INTERNATIONAL ARTS EVENT Hull, England
LATOF Spitalfields Market, London
1st exhibition of 4th World Arts, London
2nd exhibition of 4th World Arts, London
“ A Church with a View” at the St. Peters Heritage Centre, London
1989 NEW YEARS DAY, Zia Hall University of Dhaka, Bangladesh
1984/9 All annual/major exhibitions at The Institute of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka.
Commission
2010 Abu Jafar – [email protected]
Beam sculpture park, Wakefield, UK
2006 Wonder Acklam, Commissioned by The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, London UK
2001 Chol Theatre “Lady Rani boat painting involved 30 student from local primary school in Huddersfield, UK.
2000 Investment Bank Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserestein, London UK
1997 LIFT utshob project collaboration work with A team Arts of Tower Hamlets, London UK
Artist in residency at Central Foundation Girls School, Tower Hamlets, London UK
Brentwood School Arts Week 97, Cheshire UK
1995 Temporary Museum work Devenan Center, London UK
1994 Visiting Artist- Summer School, Stepney Green High School, London
Buxton School, London UK
Interview on TV/ Radio
2015 Chanel I TV UK
Bangla Radio UK
2013 ATN Bangladesh
ATN Bangla, Bangladesh
GTV Bangladesh
Independent24 tv Bangladesh
Massranga tv Bangladesh
Ekattor.tv Bangladesh
Boishakhi tv Bangladesh
Ntv Bangladesh
7
Rtv Bangladesh
Somoye TV
2008 BBC Look North (July –7)
2002 ETV Bangladesh & Europe
2001 BBC World service radio, broadcast from Bush House, London UK
Voice of America VOA radio, broadcast from Washington, USA
Bangla TV, London UK
Publications
2016 The Best of 2016
23 cm x 23 cm|108 pages
International Emerging Artist Award (IEAA) is pleased to present a selection of the best entries from the 4th
award edition. IEAA is Dubai's annual contemporary art award open internationally for emerging visual artists.
(Page 104)
2015 Tratti Poetici by Maria Pia Cappello
ISBN : 978-88-941466-0-8 (Page 161-168 )
2014 Who’s Who in Art,
36th Edition – Autobiographies of Leading Men and Women of the World of Art in Britain Today.
Published By: Hilmarton Manor Press
ISBN-10: 095360392X
ISBN-13: 9780953603923
2013 "ABU JAFAR"
Bangladesh Shilpokala Academy
Essay by Phill Ling and Maria Pia Cappello
ISBN: 978-0-957-1930-0-0
2013 Timeline
Digswell Arts UK
2012 Ekush Bochor - Abu Jafar
Institute of Art and Culture Dhaka, Bangladesh
ISBN :978-0-9571930-1-7
2008 Masters of today
Petru A. Russu
ISBN10: 91-89685-18-0
ISBN13: 978-91-89685-18-5
Page 48-49
2008 A sense of place
University of Leicester
ISBN: 978-0-901507-04-4
My details on page 12-13
2007 Time
Burghley sculpture Garden, UK
2010 Who's Who in Art 34: Autobiographies of Leading Men and Women of the World of Art in Britain Today
Publisher: Hilmarton Manor Press; 34th Revised edition (10 July 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0904722449
ISBN-13: 978-0904722444
My details page 365
8
2000 Connections
Dresdner Kleinwort Benson, London
Curator
2014 “Longest Day” Letchworth Garden City, UK
2013 “Time line” Letchworth Garden City, UK
2012 Open Studio, Letchworth Garden City, UK
2001 GROUP SHOW, London UK
McDowell Modern Art, London UK
DOWN TO THE WOOD - Pascal-Michel Dubois
McDowell Modern Art, London UK
SOLO EXHIBITION- Maurice Agis
McDowell Modern Art, London UK
Short-listed
2016 International Emerging Artist Award, Art Dubai 16
2011 Ellesmere Arts trail, UK
2008 The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge UK
2007 Jutta Cuny Franz Memorial Award,
Museum Kunst palest
Glassmuseum Hentrich, Dusseldorf, Germany
Awards
2001 Life time membership of the Millennium Awards Fellowship, UK
