Dhaka Makers: An artistic unison of artisans

Masu Ake during the Asho Aki workshop

We have all been to fairs. A fantastic gathering of people amidst a string of spectacular activities and sources of entertainment where everything is a work of art and the atmosphere is joyous.

Usually, such fairs are found in places away from city centres. Hosting one such event at the very heart of a city and maintaining a joyous atmosphere is not easy. 

Introducing Dhaka Makers, an art fair at the very heart of the city where artists of varying interests have gathered to showcase their skills. Through the event, the organiser team aims to promote the arts and culture scene in Dhaka. It is a platform that brought together artists from various creative fields. 

The event is to serve as a medium to showcase the city's innovative talent, featuring carefully designed spaces where artisans, known as 'makers,' can display their work, sell their products and also facilitate interactive workshops. 

The first day (24 June) was colourful and lively. Brimming with art enthusiasts, artists and different art products, it felt like a miniature carnival. There are little stalls inside the large hall room on the first floor selling diverse items including pottery, clothing, jewellery, scented candles and many more. 

Key features of the event included workshops led by known artists, providing immersive learning experiences in diverse forms of Bangladeshi art.

These workshops offer the chance to acquire artistic expertise in a wide range of disciplines including Bangla typography, block printing, graffiti, stop-motion animation, yoga, culinary art, jewellery-making, terrarium building and numerous others.

Stop motion workshop by Ogopogo

The idea of stop motion as art is very underrated in Bangladesh, to say the least. Right now, the front-runner for stop motions is Ogopogo Studios. Dhaka Makers hosted a workshop on stop motion led by Amit Ashraf, director of Ogopogo and a renowned puppet maker and animator of the country. He was accompanied by Aroni Saaraa, the costume designer for the studio.

Together they took the audience to venture into the wild outdoors of stop motion with a short but insightful session. For anyone who is or might be a stop motion enthusiast but knows very little, the workshop was perfect. 

Both artists covered the basics and beyond of this art form. Amit Ashraf focused on the intricacies of making a puppet while Aroni gave details of designing a costume. We would have never guessed that costume designing required research of the most minute things like fabrics.

Amit demonstrated making our own puppet so it can be used flexibly. More importantly, the puppets need to be used to express a range of emotions.

In his words, "Animation is all about expression." These important bits and pieces opened up a new door to stop motion as an art.

Masu Ake's 'Asho Aki'

Masuda Khan, popularly known among her fans as Masu Ake, is perhaps one of the more celebrated artists in the country. Many who know her, probably remember her for the lighthearted short art videos she posts on her Facebook page. 

There was a nearly two-hour-long art workshop hosted by Masu Ake, marking the last workshop of the day.

The most noticeable factor of her workshop was the attendance of children. Masuda is known for her child-friendly videos and the audience's enthusiasm really showed how much she is adored. It was a fun learning session where both the host and attendees engaged with one another over fun little art projects.

"It was great to have such a lively young audience in the workshop. Unlike adults, children are not afraid to paint. Adults are always critical of their mistakes but children are carefree when it comes to drawing, which is essential for any artist," Masu Ake said.  

"I think we adults have something to learn from activities like these. Because these little children inspire everyone to be fearless to pursue what they want. I always make my content child-friendly because they make up for a lot of my viewing audience. They also inspire me to keep making new art content and I am always happy to put out fresh artwork for them," she shared with us. 

For those who would like to munch on snacks while exploring the stalls and workshops, there is a food court on the second floor. You will find fuchka, mini chocolate tarts, popsicles and many more delicious items here. 

The second day (25 June) had workshops on typography, graffiti and puppet-making using recycled items among other things. 

The event opened on 24 June and will remain open till 27 June for everyone to attend. It is being held at Aloki Convention Centre in the capital's Tejgaon area.