Artist Wahid Asgar's art exhibition was held in Toronto

A solo exhibition of renowned artist Wahid Asgar was held at the Bangladesh Centre and Community Services in Toronto, Canada.

The two-day exhibition, titled 'Silver Years: A Celebration', features 73 paintings by the artist in various mediums, including watercolor, acrylic, collage, and oil pastel.

The exhibition was opened by former Canadian federal minister and Liberal leader of Beaches-East York in Toronto, Maria Minna.

Special guests at the event included Dolly Begum, MPP for Scarborough Southwest, and Mary Margaret McMahon, MPP for Beaches-East York.

Other speakers at the inaugural session included painter Tajuddin, film writer Iqbal Karim Hasnu, musician and social worker Shahid Khandaker Tuku, Sonia Zaman, and Taslimur Rahman. The program was hosted by Rahela Khatun.

Information about the artist's life and work was presented by his younger brother, former professor of the English Department of Dhaka University, Dr. Shawkat Hussain.

Wahid Asgar was born on August 22, 1940 in Kolkata. He completed his education at Dhaka St. Gregory's School, Notre Dame College and BUET and completed his Masters in Civil Engineering in the United States. He joined the Department of Public Health Engineering in 1972 and after a long career, he started living permanently in Canada.

He began painting in his spare time in the 1970s. Despite having no formal education, his paintings reveal a deep philosophical outlook and aesthetic sensibility. Painting has become an integral part of his life since the death of his wife, Laili Osman (daughter of novelist Shawkat Osman), in 2014.

His favorite artists are Zainul Abedin and Vincent Van Gogh; his source of inspiration is Rabindranath Tagore. Another of his passions is traveling, visiting art galleries around the world.

Notably, he will donate the proceeds from all paintings sold at the exhibition to the Bangladesh Center's social welfare activities.