Thought-provoking installations

Artwork by Sulekha Chaudhury (Bangladesh)

Sunil Sigdel from Pokhara, Nepal, holds a BFA degree from Kathmandu, and has been painting professionally for six years. "Coming to Dhaka I saw workers in garages, tea-shops and small metal industries. I decided to give them some rest by doing their work for two hours every day," Sunil said. The four white shirts with long sleeves and hoods that are exhibited stand for the artist and the three workers whom he replaced. Since he was taking the place of the workers, these low-grade workers felt that they were not mere underlings after all. "I wanted to focus on the dignity of labour," he said. Another installation piece by Sunil shows cushions piled on one another and by this he represents the rule of dynasties in his country.

Johan Thom from Johannesburg, South Africa, took flying as a metaphorical subject. It stood for human dreams. The various success of our dreams in the past and present are reflected in the man in his floating position as captured by the video in the image reflected on four sheets of glass. The subject of the chicken and duck in the hands of the man came to him when he saw them aplenty in Dhaka markets. Johan often uses video, sound and performance to explore the close link between human being, their socio-political and economic environment and spirituality.

His installation, The theory of flight is a commentary on the failures and success of humans who are in search of mental and spiritual enlightenment. Johan has taken part in various exhibitions such as the Venice Biennale (2003, 2005), the International Computer Arts Festival in Slovenia (2004) and various national festivals in South Africa. He has a master's degree from South Africa.

Sulekha Chowdhury, from Bangladesh, calls her work Which is your path. Sulekha says, "There is good and bad in our society and we may move on to one path," she says. Her many canvases put together make one work. The apple with the snake in one of the paintings stand for greed. The canvases, at times, are covered with images of cockroaches, human hands and eyes. The two praying figures stand for peace. The colours applied are flat and raw. Two sand pits carry footprints.

Sulekha, a freelance artist, has held a solo exhibition in Dhaka and has taken part in many joint exhibitions at home and overseas. She has participated in workshops and residencies.

Vijita Bandara from Sri Lanka had numerous dramatic masks made from paper pulp, clay, jute, straw and beads. He has also used bird feathers and gamcha. They are reflections of his impression of people back home and in Bangladesh. Vijita holds a bachelor's degree in Fine Arts from Colombo.

Hasnat Mehmood, a miniature artist from Pakistan, who lives and works in Lahore, has a huge depiction of an elephant and its mahout (keeper) from Mughal days. He has exhibited his work in Europe, USA, Iran and Japan.