Artist SM Sultan Centennial Festival 2024-25

On the 101st birth anniversary of Sheikh Mohammed Sultan—renowned across South Asia as SM Sultan and regionally adored as Laal Miah—the Faculty of Fine Arts in Dhaka burst with vibrant creativity and reflection. Sultan, a visionary painter celebrated for transforming rural Bangladesh into a world of powerful, muscular figures and unyielding resilience, rejected romanticism in favour of raw, earthbound realism, his style echoing the energy of Renaissance masters.

Though Sultan's own paintings were not on display, the week-long festival, held from August 10 to 16 at the Zainul Gallery, channeled his enduring spirit through the works of contemporary painters, sculptors, and ceramic artists. Young talents also showcased their creations, reinforcing Sultan's lasting influence on generations of Bangladeshi artists.

Organised by the Charupith Art Research Institute and Terracotta Creatives, in partnership with the Faculty of Fine Arts, the SM Sultan Memorial Gallery, and the Dhaka University Film Society, the festival served both as a tribute and a vibrant platform for artistic dialogue. Seminars and a film screening explored Sultan's legacy, reflecting on the man Cambridge University once hailed as "Man of Asia".

Sultan's accolades—including the Ekushey Padak and the Independence Award—testified to his profound impact on Bangladesh's cultural heritage. This celebration not only honoured his life but also reaffirmed his vision through the dynamic work of today's artists, ensuring that SM Sultan's legacy remained alive, powerful, and deeply woven into the fabric of Bangladeshi art and identity.

The week closed with a gathering of artists and art lovers, proof that Sultan’s centenary was not just remembrance, but renewal. | Photo: Sheikh Mehedi Morshed

A vibrant mix of painting, sculpture, and ceramic works filled the gallery, each piece echoing Sultan’s muscular aesthetic. | Photo: Sheikh Mehedi Morshed

Photo: Sheikh Mehedi Morshed

Young child artists displayed their work alongside seasoned professionals, a reminder that Sultan’s legacy thrived in the hands of the next generation. | Photo: Sheikh Mehedi Morshed

Visitors streamed into Zainul Gallery, where over 100 works by contemporary artists stood in conversation with the spirit of Sultan’s defiant realism. | Photo: Sheikh Mehedi Morshed

Photo: Sheikh Mehedi Morshed

The opening ceremony at the Faculty of Fine Arts drew artists, academics, and admirers, united by a shared reverence for the man who redefined rural imagery. | Photo: Sheikh Mehedi Morshed

Photo: Sheikh Mehedi Morshed

Photo: Sheikh Mehedi Morshed

Visitors streamed into Zainul Gallery, where over 100 works by contemporary artists stood in conversation with the spirit of Sultan’s defiant realism. | Photo: Sheikh Mehedi Morshed