Tarshito: Embroider the World

“Creativity is not mine alone, I leave my mind open and it is divine forces that manifest their creativity through my art” –Niccolo Strippoli Tarshito

It is a wonderful story that transcends boundaries, breaks the barriers of language, mixes fate and destiny to give birth to art, as we hear of Tarshito's journey to Bangladesh. Her story is narrated by Luva Nahid Choudhury, Director-General of Bengal Foundation in the dimming lights of the winter evening in a wonderful crowd dotted with many art enthusiasts and dignitaries. When Tarshito and Bengal Foundation found each other, a wonderful chemistry was born out of the new found friendship. Tarshito found a great friend, guide and a unique lens into Bangladesh as he met Chandra Shekhar Shaha President, National Crafts Council Bangladesh who helped him in this journey of art and culture deep into rural Bengal -- a place of mystique and beauty embodied by many poets and artists alike.
Tarshito is a dedicated artist; it can be clearly felt from the persona he exudes, his excitement is meted out among the people who have worked in close association with him and share anecdotes from the journey they shared deep into the picturesque Jessore, tracing back the art of Nakshikantha --the symbolic folk art of Bengal. A marriage between Italian art forms and the delicate embroidery of Bengali women capturing their everyday experience into motifs in the Nakshikantha, gives birth to Tarshito's art.
And the exhibition embodies all of that, the artist's adventures in Jessore, and in his art he captures the expression of simple lines woven by Bengali women into larger than life art forms. Each piece sheds some light into the vibrant colours of Bangladesh and the alluring magnetic image of Italy. It is with the hands of Tarshito that this new modern art form marrying these two countries takes shape in the walls of Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts. The exhibition will continue till the 30th January and is open to all.