Initially encouraged by maestro S.M. Sultan, Ferdousy has worked diligently and come a long way in 27 years. Commenting on her work S.M. Sultan had said in 1994, "The purity of form that Henry Moore sought in stones, Ferdousy has found it in trees". Poet Sufia Kamal once wrote, "Ferdousy inspires awe and admiration by discovering and communicating splendours in driftwood, cinders and dry grass."

Ferdousy, from her childhood was fond of nature and believes that man is an inseparable part of it. In her moments of distress and depression she often found solace in nature such as the rain or the setting sun. She chose driftwood as her subject as she sympathises with items considered discarded and unwanted.

The artist picks up driftwood from the streets, from disposals and from homes, which she happens to visit. She used to clean the wood by boiling it in salt water. She later found this laborious and resorted to applying chemicals to the wood, a technique she learnt from Sharbiri Rai Chowdhury in Shantiniketan and Masuda Kazi. She also seasons her material by exposing it to the rain and sun for some time. According to the artist, she learnt this method from renowned naturist photographer Enamul Haque. Ferdousy's creations find encouragement from artists like Shafiuddin Ahmed, Qayyum Chowdhury, Rafiqun Nabi and Abdus Shakoor.

From the fibre of palm tree leaves, Ferdousy gets astounding results in the form of birds caught in the rain. She rubbed it with grease to give it a brass-like shine. She added sand, lime and gum to the background to give it the greyish brown effect. With the root of a tree and a broken piece of tin sheet she created her a piece -- an open window, with its surrounding creepers. The brown and black shades came naturally with seasonal rain and sun. Black tea leaves frame the composition. One gets the effect of a waiting person near a window and this piece is called Storm in the Window.

Dwelling on her early memories she has created a front door. Coconut fibres and thin strips of wood form three entrance gates and wicker fence. Another scene brings the front of a prison with bars and handles.

Yet another creation represents the goddess of rain and brings in a female figure walking through the torrents. In the entry, built around a temple, one finds a dancing figure amidst the ruins created by driftwood. Song of Restful Times has its origins in a banyan tree root. Shiva and his companions are brought in twisting and dancing forms. The torsos and limbs intermingle into mysterious forms.

Birds, boats, houses, trees, dancing figures, embracing lovers and many more endearing objects are included in Ferdousy's display of driftwood.

The exhibition is on till August 10.