Mohammad Kibria - An Artist's Compilation

Folio of Works on Paper (1980–2006)

This handbound folio brings together eighty-four small-scale original works on paper by Mohammad Kibria, a seminal figure in the development of abstraction in Bangladesh and South Asia. Created between 1980 and 2006, these works span more than two decades of sustained artistic inquiry and offer rare insight into a quieter, more introspective dimension of the artist’s practice. Many are published and exhibited for the first time, revealing a private body of experimentation that unfolded largely beyond the public sphere.

While informed by modernist abstraction, Kibria’s practice is equally shaped by Eastern philosophical sensibilities—particularly notions of stillness, impermanence, and contemplation. Many works in this folio possess an archaeological quality, appearing as fragments or traces shaped by time. Delicate tonal shifts, refined textures, and carefully calibrated spatial relationships encourage slow looking and sustained engagement rather than immediate interpretation.

Published and exhibited on the occasion of Mohammad Kibria’s ninety-seventh birth anniversary, this folio stands as both a tribute and a testament. It affirms Kibria’s lifelong commitment to abstraction and underscores his enduring contribution to modern art in Bangladesh within a broader global dialogue on abstraction and materiality. We extend our sincere gratitude to the artist’s family for their generosity in sharing this intimate body of work, allowing these quiet, powerful works to speak anew.

Wakilur Rahman
Artist, Curator