SoFoBoMo day-11
SoFoBoMo Day-11
Jamal Ahmed – Artist.
An absolutely fantastic day! I had thought we’d do a fast paced one or an hour and half session at his studio. It turned out that Jamal sets his own pace and it will take its course. Not that he is “slow paced” – he is a highly energetic person. So we started out by talking about various stuff… a friend dropped in. Turns out he is a professional photographer. Turns out a great experience – we both start photographing.  I get a few tips from Taher. Especially a critique regarding too low a shooting angle I had chosen. I correct it.
We head off the the University of Fine Arts. Jamal is also a Art Professor there. Met his students. Photographed them at work. We go back to Jamal’s studio and then we sit down to a home-cooked lavish Bengali meal. Delicious!
Jamal then tells me he has a special treat for me. One of Jamal’s regular model is going to be coming back to his studio and Jamal is going to sketch him while I photograph. Wow!
Turns out to be Pagla Baba!
Pagla is seated on the floor and is asked to place his head in the crook of his arms. And then Jamal goes to work – full of energy, it looks like a movie being run at double speed!
Further images will be in the book, once it is done.
Â
Nice portrait, that.
Care to enlighten us on the other side of the world? Who is Pagla Baba?
I find some references to tantric yogis on the web, but…
thanks Eric
“Pagla” = ‘Mad’. This peson is NOT!
“Baba” = ‘Sadhu’ or Holy man [but, usually the types who smoke Ganja or cannabis].
This particular person was a nomad/homeless guy who would hang around Jamal’s neighborhood and Jamal found his face interesting to paint. Jamal began doing a series, and assisted Pagla with cash so he could live a better life. When Jamal’s sold the paintings of Pagla he contributed a large proportion to get Pagla a small home near by. Pagla is now a regular subject/model for Jamal and also earns from posing for Art College students. I guess, one could say that Pagla went “pro”! He is a nice guy, knows how to pose [I watched him 20 minutes at Art College striking a post for students and did not move a muscle]. I don’t know how long his posing session was that day… could have been hours.
Here is the photo from the Art College session:
Further references:
http://thedailystar.net/2004/07/08/d407081401103.htm
and
http://www.thedailystar.net/2004/07/13/d407131402106.htm
Very interesting! Thanks for the explanation.
–Eric