The call of Gazir Pot
Shambhu does stories of both Hindus and Muslims. Gazi, he says, the subject of many of his paintings was a powerful Muslim general with a metaphysical force, who tamed wild animals, and has a following among the gypsies. He is specially associated with the tiger and is often presented as riding a tiger. He was revered by both Hindus and Muslims and had an assistant called Kalu. Shongho has done 27 panel paintings with Gazi as his subject. He makes his canvases by layering markin cloth with brick powder, tamarind juice and egg yolk. He has also used various oxides and black soot.
Shambhu had been a drop out at school, studying upto class VIII. Even at school, he did two hours of regular studies a day and the rest of the time was spent on his paintings. He went to a festival in London in 1999 with his Gazir pot paintings and found himself a success. There Mahjabeen Khan had helped him. This was through the National Craft Council, whose chairman was Tofail Ahmed, who encouraged Shambhu a lot. Tofail Ahmed had found the Gazir pot in Kolkata, and with the help of Hamida Hussain of the National Craft Council, found another such specimen of the Gazir pot at the home of a gypsy, Durjon Ali. They persuaded Shambhu, to whose house they had finally traced the Gazir pot, to be a member of the council, and undertake Gazi pot paintings for Shilu Abed of Aarong and Joyapati of Kumudini, and so promote the paintings.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Today he has 24 panels on the subject of the freedom struggle and hopes to exhibit these in Dhaka. He has brought in the freedom effort of the Bangalis during the British rule and later during the time of the Pakistani supremacy. He has brought in Titumir, Pritilata, Surjo Sen and Dudu Mia. He has depicted Mahatma Gandhi, Mohammad Ali Jinnah and Bongobondu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The Language Movement of 1952 has not been left out. Each panel, 5ft by2 ft, has taken him 12 days. The delineation has followed the folk style that one found in the Gazir pot collection, that had been exhibited in 2003 at Chitrak.
Some of the work has been done outdoors and some inside the house. He did the base with a piece of tied up cloth dipped in colours. Next with brushes he added the fine lines in black, red and other colours. Apart from ambitious subjects, he has also dealt with the conventional topics of fishermen, farmers and women dressing and doing their hair. The conventional folk forms have been incorporated and these have his distinctive style. He did try oil colours but he did not feel comfortable with this medium.
He had no problems in selling his paintings as he had the support of Ramendu Majumdar of ad firm Expressions and he had access to Chitrak gallery. This presentation of folk stories with paint on cloth is unique. Shambhu's parents used to make traditional statues out of clay and Shambhu had studied them. "However, the work of my parents followed the Hindu custom while I wanted to bring in subjects that would interest the Muslims as well," Shambhu says.
With the presentation of the subject of the freedom fighters, Shambu hopes to continue with the preservation of traditional art in Bangladesh.