Fareena Samhee’s debut solo exhibition gives colour to unspoken emotions

As human beings, we all encounter moments when words no longer seem enough. Silence, after all, can be loud—it can provoke, soothe or fill the spaces language leaves behind. Often, emotion reveals itself more clearly through a person’s eyes or expression than through what they say, especially when words contradict what the heart truly feels.

For Fareena Samhee Nethee, silence is not an absence. In fact, it is a language made of colour, pattern and form. In her debut solo exhibition, “Silent Expressions”, the hearing- and speech-impaired artist transforms unspoken emotions into 61 vibrant acrylic paintings, each carrying fragments of a deeply personal journey.

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The ten-day exhibition was inaugurated on August 1 at Batighar Art Space, located at the Asiatic Centre in Banani. Organised by Mongol Deep Foundation and supported by Vertex Chambers and SAJIDA Foundation, the showcase will remain open daily from 4pm to 8pm until August 10.

Created over four years, from 2023 to 2026, the collection brings together 61 works created in acrylic on handmade paper. Across the gallery, bold colours, intricate patterns and expressive figures unfold through recurring images of faces, birds, fish, flowers and familiar objects. Some pieces evoke the ornamental detailing associated with folk-art traditions, while others lean towards abstraction, allowing emotion to emerge through fragmented features, fluid shapes and densely layered details.

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Photo: Abrar Faiyaz Niloy

“‘Silent Expressions’ is inspired by my life as a hearing- and speech-impaired artist. I express my emotions through colours instead of words,” Fareena told The Daily Star.

For the artist, every painting carries a part of her lived experience. Rather than functioning merely as an alternative to speech, the works establish a visual language entirely her own—one developed through dedicated workshops and participation in national and international exhibitions. 

“Every piece is special because it tells a part of my journey,” she said. “My hope is that visitors will feel the emotions behind each painting and remember that art has no barriers.”

Rubaba Dowla, Country Managing Director of Oracle Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan, inaugurated the exhibition as chief guest.

“The most intricate human emotions cannot often be expressed in words; this exhibition is a great example of how that can be done through art,” she said at the opening.

Veteran actor and painter Afzal Hossain and Gallery Chitrak Executive Director Md Muniruzzaman attended as special guests. Reflecting on the exhibition, Afzal observed that human expression is not limited to words, but is rooted equally in feeling—inviting audiences to engage with Fareena’s paintings on a more instinctive and emotional level.

Barrister Junayed Chowdhury and Barrister Sajeda Farisa Kabir represented Vertex Chambers and SAJIDA Foundation, respectively. Mongol Deep Foundation Chairperson Sara Zaker and Executive Director Sriya Sharbojoya were also present alongside members of the organisation.

Curated by Faridur Rahman Razib, Art Director at Asiatic Marketing and Communications Ltd, “Silent Expressions” places Fareena’s artistic voice at its centre. The exhibition does not ask audiences to interpret silence as limitation. Instead, it offers silence as a space where colours, shapes, lines and forms carry the meaning and emotions are felt before they are explained.