Biren Shome | |
|---|---|
বীরেন সোম | |
| Born | 31 December 1948 Mymensingh District, East Bengal, Dominion of Pakistan |
| Citizenship | Bangladeshi |
| Education | College of Arts and Crafts (BFA, 1969) |
| Known for | Painting, drawing, illustration, book design |
| Movement | Contemporary art, Bengal School |
| Awards |
|
Biren Shome (Bengali: বীরেন সোম; born 31 December 1948) is a Bangladeshi painter, draughtsman, illustrator, children's book author, and freedom fighter. He is considered one of the major painters of the 1960s generation in Bangladesh. Shome has worked in a variety of media including oil, acrylic, watercolour, pastel, and line drawing. He has exhibited widely in Bangladesh and abroad, and his works often explore themes of the Liberation War, the Language Movement, and the beauty and social life of Bangladesh.
Biren Shome was born on 31 December 1948 in Mymensingh District, East Bengal, Dominion of Pakistan (in the present-day Jamalpur District, Bangladesh). His father was Debendra Kumar Som and his mother was Kanak Probha Som.
He enrolled at the then College of Arts and Crafts (now the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka) in 1964 and completed his Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1969. He studied under the guidance of Zainul Abedin, the founder of the institution.
Shome began his career while still a student, holding his first solo exhibition at the Charukala College gallery in 1968, titled "Untitled".
During the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, Shome was a freedom fighter. He worked as a designer in the Directorate of Press, Publicity, Information and Broadcasting at Mujibnagar (the provisional government of Bangladesh). He was the youngest member of a six-person team led by Quamrul Hassan that created posters and paintings for the war effort.
For over thirty-five years, Shome worked as a senior artist and later chief artist at the Bangladesh National Herbarium until his retirement.
In 1985, he created a popular series of children's colouring books titled Esho, Chhobi Aki. He has also written several books, including Bangladesher Shadhinota Songrame Shilpisomaj (Society of Artists in Bangladesh's Liberation Struggle).
Shome's works have been included in numerous publications, including the album Sadakalo '71, a collection of black and white artworks by 57 artists on the Liberation War.
Shome works across a range of media, including oil, acrylic, watercolour, pastel, line drawing, and collograph. He is known for his exploration of lines, often using white ink on black paper to create stark, minimalist drawings.
His works frequently depict the Bangladesh Liberation War, the Bengali Language Movement, and the lives and landscapes of Bangladesh, including villages, rivers, and the people of Bengal. He has also created portraits of Lalon and other bauls, and explored themes of nature, women, and horses.
Shome has held twelve solo exhibitions. These include:
Shome has participated in over 60 group exhibitions in Bangladesh and abroad, including in India, Germany, England, Hong Kong, and Brazil.
Shome has received several awards, including:
In 2022, Focus Bangladesh honoured him with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to fine arts in the country.