Tasleema Alam
I am an artist & educator. I specialise in Islamic and Oriental patterns. I also teach geometry as part of my work. Respecting profoundly the universality of number and proportion, designs come alive to me when the first flourish of paint goes on. My preferred mediums are water colour and gold. I also work on architectural mediums, like ceramics and glass. Recently relocating to Dhaka, I decided to establish a network of artisans with whom I can exchange valuable knowledge. An immensely rewarding experience so far, the response of the arts' circle has been promising. I am learning a lot about how art survives in a society of limited resources and how wonderfully creative it makes you.
A2 hand painted giclee print of a wooden ceiling I made. Designed to fit in a recess, the actual ceiling is made using wood, gesso, natural pigments and gold leaf. The geometric forms I used are based on 12 and 8. Titled The "Ceiling" and always in quotes it is a symbolic gesture to reflect on number in space and time. I have embellished each shape with floral patterns that stay loyal to the numeric shapes they sit on, e.g. threefold patterns lay on the hexagons, fourfold florals on the octagrams and so forth. My hope is to express the dynamics of number where it not only provides a sound structure but also can meander into soft forms. Through colour and number I hope to encourage closer reflection on the role of Number in the universe.