Bangladeshi artist couple Mahbubur Rahman and Begum Tayeba Lipi are a social force to reckon with in the art world. The couple uses their work to protest gender-specific violence and political turmoil in their country. Rahman’s first solo exhibition in India in almost a decade with Gallery Blueprint 12 at the Bikaner House in Delhi perfectly reflected his ideals. Titled Sounds from Nowhere, the show focused on Rahman’s multidisciplinary practice, which includes painting, photography, sculpture and performances.
The title of the show derives from one of his works that was inspired by the Rana Plaza building collapse that took place in Dhaka in 2013. Seventy-one Bangladeshi workers, who tirelessly worked for an international garment manufacturer, were buried alive in the accident. Those who survived had to be cut away using available instruments like a hacksaw. For Rahman, the sound of the hacksaw on human bones is etched onto his mind and trapped in his stainless steel sculptures that were showcased at the exhibition.
“Most of my works are political in nature. They bring out my anguish towards my country’s failure to recover from colonial clutches. They also reflect the work politics we face in Bangladesh,” he says. So, has he always been an ‘activist artist’? “In the beginning, it was the challenge of interpreting social issues that drove me. Throughout my long years as an artist the spirit of my inquiry has dealt with these issues that continue to influence me,” says Rahman.
His wife, also an acclaimed artist, agrees: “Some of our work can be considered activism. Since we both share and interrogate our emotions, feelings and the forces of love and anger, we look for a common ground for creation. We are both strong personalities and we believe in individuality. Our ideas are intensely personal and are always reflected in the final products we showcase.”
Rahman loves to experiment with different materials while attempting to decode their essence. “Love, passion, intimacy and dialogue are portrayed using the materials I prefer. I try to reflect what I see and feel through the material at hand, as if I’m engaged in a conversation with the objects I subsequently create,” he says.
Rahman, who held his first exhibition at Devi Art Foundation in 2009, took another decade for his next because he waited till he felt ready for another solo show. When asked about the Bangladeshi art market and its reach in India, Rahman is quick to point out,“You cannot compare the two. The size of Indian Art Market is too large in comparison.” His wife is also readying for her solo exhibition in India in the coming year.
The recent exhibition in
Delhi gave the artist couple yet another chance of connecting with a city they love. So, what is it about Delhi that amazes them most? “Almost everything,” smiles Lipi, and adds, “The people, the food, the architecture and always our friends. Delhi brings you alive.”