Artist’s Statement

Bangladeshi culture is abundantly infused with art. Rickshaws are often decorated with beautiful folk art, Bangladesh’s handmade textiles are internationally celebrated, and music and literature are the country's pride and joy. I feel very proud of this aspect of my culture and I enjoy incorporating the colors and patterns of Bangladesh into my art. As proud as I am to be Bangladeshi, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned that there is a lot to feel ashamed and angry about. I am not only angry about things happening in my country, but all over the world. The more I learn about the world, the angrier I get. The angrier I get, the more art I want to create. 

I’ve learned that my emotions are the key to my art practice. When I first started painting, I did so as an act of catharsis, to help guide me through, and rid myself of, hard feelings and emotions. This usually manifested as large, aggressive brush strokes and lots of paint splatter. Although I have moved away from this, I still find that my emotions are what fuel most of my projects. When I learn about something that moves me emotionally, I feel an urge to research further into it and this often leads to the creation of art. My art explores themes of identify, gender, culture and suffering. Common Subjects I like to focus on include the human body and portrait, and scenes from nature.