Syful Islam | My Home Village from Memory

Mohammad Syful Islam (b. 1946, Meherpur, Bangladesh) is a painter, educator, and pioneer of Islamic calligraphy painting in Bangladesh. Over a career spanning more than six decades, he has worked across landscape, still life, portraiture, figurative art, Bengali and Arabic calligraphy, and modern composition. In 1982, he founded Cezanne Art School and Cezanne Art Gallery in Dhaka, mentoring generations of
artists and contributing significantly to Bangladesh's art scene. His work is inspired by Qur'anic text, the riverine landscapes and village life of Bangladesh, and a lifelong appreciation of nature.
Now based in Ontario, Canada, he continues to paint, teach, and contribute to the local arts community through exhibitions, mentorship, and art education. His practice combines disciplined composition, expressive colour, light, and calligraphic rhythm, reflecting a lifetime devoted to artistic excellence, cultural heritage, and an enduring passion for sharing art across generations.

 

This landscape returns to a remembered village in Bangladesh, where rivers, fields, palms, boats and footpaths form the living architecture of home. The layered waterways lead the eye through green land toward distant houses and trees, while the glowing sky holds the quiet drama of sunset. It is a scene shaped by memory, but also by faith: the natural world appears abundant, ordered and worthy of care. The bridge and boats suggest connection between neighbours, generations and places separated by water. Within 1001 Stories: Colours of Faith and Home, the painting reflects the emotional geography of migration. Home survives in colour, light, scent and landscape long after one has travelled far away. I hope viewers recognize both a particular Bangladeshi village and a universal inner refuge - a place of origin, gratitude and belonging that continues to live in the heart.