In a male-dominated art world, Shamim Sikder stood unafraid, chiselling history, identity and resistance into stone and concrete. A recipient of the Ekushey Padak and one of the most influential sculptors of the 20th century in Bangladesh, she proved that the power of an artist cannot be silenced. Ignoring social judgment and relentless negativity, she lived a dignified life rooted in self-belief, one woman in every field deserves.
Knitted with myths, courage and defiance, Shamim Sikder showed that femininity is not a weakness but a language of freedom. She began her professional journey as a sculptor in 1976 after graduating from the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Dhaka. Later, she returned to the same institution as a teacher, shaping generations of artists with her uncompromising honesty and bold artistic vision.
Nasimul Khabir, Head of the Department of Sculpture at the University of Dhaka and one of her direct students, recalls her influence with reverence. “Throughout her boundless artistic journey, she produced many lifelike sculptures. Most of her sculptures focus on portraits. The Liberation War and independence are a unique focus of her engagement in sculpture,” he said.
Shadhinota Shongram and Swoparjito Shadhinota are her most well-known sculptures based on our liberation war in 1971. Speaking about Shadhinota Shongram, Nasimul Khabir shared an intriguing story. “To be honest, it was not a planned sculpture,” he explained. “She initially kept her works scattered in the area on Fuller Road. One day, she decided to arrange them vertically and that spontaneous decision gave birth to an iconic national artwork.”
She was recognised as a courageous woman on the Dhaka University campus at that time. Through her upbringing and surroundings, she shaped herself into a woman with the spotlight, and all these helped her to create her art language.
“We saw her bold and reckless lifestyle and the graceful way she embraced women’s empowerment. She was remarkable as an individual, as an artist and as an instructor,” Nasimul added.
In the 60s or 70s, sadly, it was more liberal than it is now. As she was a woman who was out of the box, there were obviously obstacles. Nasimul expressed, “This woman was one of the rebels of that time, who not only spoke for rights but fought for it.”
Back then, it was daring to wear jeans and shirts while biking around Dhaka. Fortunately, she somehow found the supportive environment or the liberal space to pursue her journey in her own way. She refused to let gender define her identity and fought fiercely for personal and artistic freedom.
Her courage came at a cost. In the early 2000s, Shamim Sikder survived multiple violent attacks that left her physically incapacitated. Despite years of pain and confinement, her spirit remained unbroken. She continued to inspire through her presence, her words and the monumental works she left behind.
During the 1980s, she produced several experimental sculptures, pushing beyond figurative forms. Among them, La Guernica 71, constructed from white cement-concrete and geometric cylindrical forms, stands out. Based on the Liberation War, the sculpture is installed in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Segunbagicha, echoing both grief and resistance.
Today, Shamim’s works are preserved in institutional and private collections at home and abroad. She was awarded the Prime Minister’s Award for Sculpture in 1974 and received the Ekushey Padak in 2000 for her contribution to the arts.
Shamim Sikder was never just a sculptor. She was a rule-breaker who carved her own path, regardless of consequence. She passed away on March 21, 2023, at the age of 70. In a society still weighed down by conservatism, her life remains a reminder that resistance can be beautiful and that one fearless woman can reshape the cultural landscape of a nation.
