written by: News Desk

A week-long solo art exhibition titled Reality of the Subconscious Mind by artist Zakia Khan Chandana has opened at the Zainul Gallery of the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka.

The exhibition was inaugurated on Sunday (August 2) by Professor Dr. Abdus Salam, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Education) of the University of Dhaka, as the chief guest.

The inaugural ceremony was presided over by Professor Dr. Md. Azharul Islam Sheikh, Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts. Professor Dr. Md. Abdus Sattar, Honorary Professor of the Department of Oriental Art at the University of Dhaka, attended the event as the special guest.

Speaking at the inauguration, Professor Dr. Abdus Salam praised the artist for presenting the fundamental values of artistic practice through aesthetically compelling and thought-provoking works. He expressed hope that the exhibition would inspire students to engage more deeply with creative expression and artistic exploration.

The exhibition explores the complex dimensions of the subconscious mind, where dreams, memories, desires, and identity converge. Through her paintings, Zakia Khan Chandana dissolves the boundaries between reality and imagination, creating a surreal visual language that invites viewers into an introspective psychological landscape.

Although her work reflects elements of Surrealism, Chandana has developed a distinctive artistic voice. Her canvases combine dramatic light and shadow, fragmented landscapes, symbolic imagery, and ambiguous architectural forms to examine themes of environmental crisis, memory, and human existence.

One of the exhibition’s notable works, Veins of the Earth, presents a powerful visual metaphor for climate change. Crimson clouds dominate the sky while a withered tree, bearing only a handful of green leaves, symbolizes both ecological devastation and the fragile persistence of hope. The barren landscape and the tree enclosed within a spherical form evoke an unsettling vision of the future, expressing environmental anxiety through the symbolic language of the subconscious.

Another significant work, Roots Beyond Time, portrays a silent, uninhabited landscape that transcends loneliness to reflect the fragility of time, memory, and existence. Its stillness encourages viewers to contemplate deeper psychological and philosophical questions.

Chandana’s artistic vision also invites comparison with the legendary Surrealist Salvador Dalí, whose work brought dreams and the subconscious to the forefront of modern art. While Dalí explored the psychological tensions of European modernity, Chandana’s paintings address the realities of the contemporary world, particularly climate change, ecological instability, and the lived experiences of South Asia. In doing so, she extends the Surrealist tradition while establishing a distinctly personal and contemporary visual language.

Through the interplay of light, colour, symbolism, and metaphor, Zakia Khan Chandana transforms the subconscious into a space where personal emotion resonates with collective human concerns. Her paintings serve as powerful visual reflections on environmental change and the uncertainties of the modern world, making her work both timely and deeply relevant within contemporary art practice.

The exhibition will remain open to the public until August 8, welcoming visitors daily from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.