“Tarshito: Embroider the World,” a solo art exhibition by Italian artist Nicola Strippoli Tarshito, was inaugurated on Friday at Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts in the capital.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Italian Ambassador to Bangladesh Mario Palma, and National Crafts Council Bangladesh President Chandra Shekhar Saha.
Nicola Strippoli was named Tarshito, which means “thirst for inner knowledge,” by his guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh during his journey to India in 1979. He was intrigued by Indian primitive and spiritual beliefs. During his visit to Bangladesh, the traditional “nakshi kantha” (hand-embroidered quilt) caught his attention.
Bangladeshi nakshi kantha has unique stitching style, depicting a variety of objects and designs including mythical figures, animals, birds, geometrical objects, symbols of the sun and moon, etc. Each quilt represents its maker’s cultural background, nature and perception of the world.
In the exhibition, Tarshito is showcasing 30 artworks which aptly blend these stitch work with an array of media like acrylic, gold leaf, ink, and rubber on canvas and fabric. Fifteen women from Jessore worked on these artworks for six months. Tarshito is, indeed, a master of finding the best possible craftsmen and filling them with his own inspiration, be it in Italy or any other country.
The artist believes that richness of a culture can only be grasped through its art, so he tries to incorporate the harmony of people into his own work. Merging traditional techniques of craftsmanship, he conveys messages of light, truth and goodness through his work. For this reason, his brilliant unification of the Bangladeshi rural culture and his creations earns universal appeal.
Tarshito’s excellent mapping acquaints us with a new world which transcends geographical boundaries and relieves us from the confinement of time. In one of his thought-provoking artworks, Tarshito has connected the map of Bangladesh with that of Italy and written BANGLADESHITALY on it, using gold leaf on canvas.
Born in Southern Italy in 1952, Tarshito completed his graduation from the University of Architecture in Florence. In quest of inspiration and curiosity, he travels to many places and, looking into his own inner space, he finds his own way to be creative, his own notion of design.
Open for all every day from 12pm to 8pm, the exhibition will run until January 30.