Dhaka 101: Naznoor Rahman Rino’s unique portrayal of the capital
In a recent conversation with The Business Standard, Rino shared the backstory of his celebrated art series ‘Dhaka 101’ and spoke about the potential growth of the digital art field in Bangladesh
Like most megacities, Dhaka has plenty of subtle and unique elements. From the grand infrastructure of Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban to the big handi of biryani in streetside hotels covered with a red cloth, a visual representation of authentic Dhaka demands the presence of all this.
Naznoor Rahman Rino is a Dhakaite and an artist whose upbringing was amidst the chaos and tranquility of this metropolis.
When he first attempted to represent Dhaka through his visual work about three years ago, little did he know how nostalgic and inspirational his artworks would become for the dwellers of this city.
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In a recent conversation with The Business Standard, Rino shared the backstory of his celebrated art series, 'Dhaka 101' and spoke about the potential growth of the digital art field in Bangladesh.
"Dhaka is a beautiful starting point for a lot of artists. Whenever we utter 'Dhaka', we mostly think of a beautiful chaos. But its individual elements make it unique each time. That's where my vision lies. I want to illustrate the city's elements in such a manner that whenever people see my art, they should think this is something that can be represented only by Dhaka," Rino said.
Rino graduated from IBA, University of Dhaka, and is currently working as the group planning head at digital marketing agency Analyzen.
"I observe everything with precise details for my job. I have to connect with people's behaviour to come up with an idea. My job has helped me develop my skills to look into a huge canvas and find out specific details."
Rino outlined the concept of 'Dhaka 101' from his own experiences. "My experience is the backbone of everything. I treat the whole project like a book. This is a visual guide for those who never came to Dhaka."
Whether it is a broken road divider, Old Dhaka's iftar bazar or the streetside barber shops, Rino's miscellaneous elements speak fluently about the raw surroundings of the megacity.
'Dhaka 101' is a compact blend of solid colors and minimalism. Since Rino is more into detailed visuals, he maintained a standard minimalist approach paired with sufficient details. There are few iconographic inspirations behind the series as well.
"The piece of a red cloth that covers the big handi of biryani is something we are familiar with. If we notice closely, we can see a small plate on the top of the biryani pot which is used to serve the food. This is an essential element and I didn't want to drop this. Nonetheless, it was a minimalistic art," said Rino.
Rino has been actively posting his artwork on Instagram for the last three years. Recently, he has started sharing his pieces on his Facebook page 'Nr_rino' as well and the photos were met with unprecedented appreciation within a very short time.
Rino detailed, "I never expected such a reception. I used to think that people could hardly relate to such weird perceptions. Perhaps, they might praise the visuals as artistic elements but I'm surprised to see how deeply people have connected to each art piece."
Rino's artworks have also attracted the attention of Bangladesh-origin people residing abroad.
"A lady knocked me who was born and brought up in the UK. She said that this series is a unique visual representation of what she has heard about Bangladesh from her parents. She asked me if she could print those for her children. It was very inspiring for me as the artist of this series."
Rino has plans to publish a coffee table book in the future. He also has plans to arrange an exhibition once the Covid-19 pandemic situation improves.
Rino believes that this is the best time to explore the fields of digital art.
"The next generations will extend what we have started. People think that it's hard to do such things. Essentially, the hardest part is getting started. You don't need technological tools to start your journey. Just pick up a piece of paper and a pencil and draw your imaginations," Rino concluded.
