Hidden within high rise edifices, and blooming amongst small huts in villages, ‘folk art’ reflects and retains the value of culture, tradition and motifs in Bangladesh. The bright, vibrant colors and symbolism depicted through pottery, art and sculptures win over our hearts by enlightening us about the beauty of our land and its traditions.

Practiced by local and hardworking craftsmen, folk art originates back to medieval times, when our country was a platform for cultural fusion of different religious views such as Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. Through the passing of generations, it has been continued similarly by local figures. The “Nakshi Kantha” is a cultural illustration that has emerged with folk art with time. An embroidered quilt, Nakshi Kantha is valued by millions due to its depiction of folk motifs. Different clothes, pottery and art have preserved our cultural beauty.

Raw elements like clay, wood, cloth, reeds and bamboo are used by folk enthusiasts in creating folk art. They display traditional motifs like the lotus, sun, moon, flowers, trees, animals, temples and mosques. The traditional monograms portray the day to day lives of the people and their surroundings. Often, there are symbolic meanings too! For instance, the fish represents fertility, the sheet of paddy, prosperity and the lotus flower, purity. These simple and symbolic representations elucidate us, our traditions and most importantly the history of folk art. 

Local artisan groups like Kamar (blacksmith), Kumar (Potter), Tanti (weaver), Sutrodhar (carpenter), Swarnaker (goldsmith) and wood-craftsmen play a great role in the creation of these art forms. It does not require institutional knowledge, but creativity and skill acquired by feeling nature and embracing the life around us. Its aesthetic value has been also been largely contributed by local women.

Folk art has been continued in Bangladesh through the influence of Zainul Abedin and Quamrul Hassan, who promoted folk art to protest against the oppression of West Pakistan. 

In the present day, renowned artists such as Abdus Shakoor and Shambhy Acharya have gained international recognition through the display of folk emblem in their work.

Abdus Shakoor:

A successful academic at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Dhaka University, and Shakoor embarked on an artistic conquest of combining modern vibrant colors with aesthetic vibes of folk art in his art works. His magic can be seen in his designs sewn onto quilts (Nakshi Kantha), palm-frond paintings, punthi literature and scroll or pata paintings. Modernist ideas devoid of foreign influence, and delicacy of colors through watercolors, Shakoor portrays simplistic, two-dimensional drawings, while also opening possibilities for interpretation. Не quotes, “let us not view these motifs through modern lenses, let us look at the world through tales that exclusively belong to our rural folk.”

Shambhu Acharya:

Once a local painter in Munshiganj, Shambhu Acharya has gained recognition through the exhibition of his scroll paintings, notably in the Spitz Gallery in London. Folk art, through pata or scroll painting, has been passed down in his family for generations. Acharya makes his canvas with cloth and prepares his own paint with locally produced pigments or colors. He often depicts religious myths and legends of Manasa Mangal, Radha-Krishna and even motifs like birds and animals. The themes in his paintings are simple, imbued with symbolic potentials. Often, they carry rectangular spaces within figures, which indicates progress. Shambhu Acharya remains loyal to his tradition and draws wonders to leave us all in awe.

Folk art is most evident in local or tribal villages with some notable places like Kushtia, Sirajganj, Jessore and Cumilla, where folk art and folk songs are very well-versed. For many locals or craftsmen, it is the source of livelihood. Thus, folk art is used for commercial gain too. On the other hand, it is seen as a passion for some, who does it to preserve the simplistic elements of life.

The Toll of Modernization:

In recent years, different types of modern artistic motifs have increasingly shadowed folk art and decreased its influence. Even though it is evident in some rural areas, it is vanishing in the urban areas and may even get lost over time.

As Bengalis, we must work to accelerate and conserve folk art because it is one of the few arts that portray our culture and tradition with great devotion. The majestic fusion between modern art and folklores can work wonders by advancing with growing generations creating a divine mixture of aesthetics of the past and the present.