"Rajshahi’s first Starry Night by a house painter…," a caption reads on Facebook. Underneath it is a mural painted in the style of the Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh’s famous artwork The Starry Night.
It once adorned the wall of Govt PN Girls' High School, Rajshahi.
Its photo was posted from a Facebook account named Md Abul Bashar, and the mural has since sparked quite a bit of conversation and received praise from art lovers.
However, it no longer exists on the school wall, and many are left wondering who this painter really is. Is he a house painter or an actual artist?
To get to the bottom of the story, Dhaka Tribune talked with Abul Bashar. It turns out that this “house painter” is none other than Abul Bashar himself.
But he is not a typical “house painter” — Abul Bashar graduated in 2015 and completed his post-graduation in 2016 from the painting department in the Faculty of Fine Arts of Rajshahi University.
Currently, he is pursuing an MPhil focusing on "The Role of Rural Society in Bangladesh’s Art."
When asked why he identified himself as a house painter despite being an established artist, Abul Bashar said: “In Bangladesh, artists do not receive much respect or payment. In fact, people who simply paint walls often get more importance. Around 60% of the population still thinks that artists just paint, making them akin to house painters.
“When I want to earn money, I have to consider how to create a market presence, and part of that involves conveying what kind of work I do to people.”
He told this correspondent that he used the term "house painter" somewhat sarcastically.
Abul Bashar said if he introduced himself as the famous artist Abul Bashar, people would immediately assume he charged a lot for his work.
“But when I introduce myself as a house painter, people tend to think a mere house painter would not ask for much money.”
He said many artists had created such a branding for themselves that the public no longer felt connected to them. As a result, these artists were not getting much work, he added.
On the other hand, by calling himself a house painter, Abul Bashar easily finds work.
“Though many artists may not be willing to sacrifice their honour, I prefer to present myself as a house painter, even though I use the term in a derisive manner.”
The story behind
Regarding The Starry Night, Abul Bashar said the mural was not a recent piece. “I did that in 2020. I uploaded it to Facebook later, as part of my work, and it unexpectedly went viral.”
When asked why he had chosen this specific painting, he said that for a long time, he had been trying to do something in Rajshahi.
Eventually, he and some friends planned to create several murals, selecting around 6,000 walls. After spending about six months seeking permission and financial support, they proposed the idea to the Rajshahi City Corporation. With the help of a local politician, they received initial approval.
The first project was to paint Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night on the wall of Govt PN Girls' High School.
“We wanted to ignite an artistic revolution in Rajshahi, and in some ways we succeeded in that pursuit through that painting.”
Three months after its completion, it was removed.
Abul Bashar said that alongside modern art, they had wanted to depict rural Bangladeshi scenes as well.
At the time, they created several other murals in areas like Upashahar. However, they were not given full approval to continue. And a couple of months later, they found that others, mainly signboard painters, were being hired to paint on the same walls we had listed.
As The Starry Night was erased, another picture was painted in its place, despite there being no negative reactions from the public.
They had not been able to protest the decision because of “political reasons,” Abul Bashar said.
After he posted the image on Facebook earlier this month, it sparked a lot of discussions.
One commenter said that after a long holiday, he went to school one day and saw the wall beautifully transformed. “Later, it disappeared. Now I know who the artist was. The work was amazing, and it saddened me when it was lost."
"Many may not know yet. The triumph of art does not always mean the triumph of the artist," Abul Bashar replied.
Another person commented, suggesting that instead of a "house painter," Abul Basahr should be referred to as a "colour artist." Abul Bashar responded by saying: "I call myself a house painter… the world is beautiful."
