Save the Environment : An artist’s plea for the planet
Artist Md Abu Salim’s 16th solo exhibition uses powerful watercolours to confront environmental destruction and urge personal responsibility for the planet’s future
Heat waves, dust, noise pollution, and endless traffic have become routine for the people of Dhaka. The route to Alliance Française de Dhaka, Dhanmondi, was no exception.
When the first painting I noticed in the hallway was a watercolour portraying the harsh reality of commuting in Dhaka—with a skull at the centre, plastic bags, loudspeakers, trucks, and carbon emissions swirling around—it felt unsettlingly accurate.
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Art imitates life, indeed.
Alliance Française de Dhaka is currently hosting 'Save the Environment,' the 16th solo exhibition by artist Md Abu Salim, running from 25 April to 6 May.
In this exhibition, Salim presents 18 of his recent works—each serving as a visual protest and a reminder of the urgent need for environmental awareness.
The paintings confront critical issues such as river and water pollution, air and noise pollution, and the slow degradation of life, soil, and nature.
With expressive brushwork and strong symbolism, Salim's work challenges viewers to question their roles in the planet's well-being.
Several paintings detail the damaging effects of industrial waste—harmful chemicals, carbon emissions, and the overwhelming presence of plastic bags and bottles choking our rivers.
One particularly haunting image shows a fish surrounded by floating plastic, capturing the aftermath of such destruction both above and beneath the water's surface.
But the exhibition isn't limited to environmental decay—it's also a wake-up call. These works, so closely tied to the real world around us, push individuals to look inward.
Instead of placing blame or resigning to complaints, Salim urges viewers to reconsider their own actions. Change, he suggests, begins with personal responsibility—it's a collective journey that starts with each of us.
Among the pieces are also two serene portrayals of untouched nature, flanked by a painting of tree-cutting machines razing a forest.
The contrast is evident— a reminder that deforestation is not only stripping us of beauty but steadily dismantling our environment.
Through this visual comparison, Salim offers a glimpse of the natural world as it should be—and what we risk losing.
TBS Picks
1.Air Pollution
Medium: Watercolour
A horrific representation of what citizens endure—polluted air from nearby factories, relentless traffic, and an atmosphere thick with toxins. One figure wears a mask, another has both sunglasses and a mask, while a young girl coughs helplessly, unprotected against the poisoned air.
2. Dhaka City
Medium: Watercolour
The painting shows a person being bitten by swarms of mosquitoes, their face hovering just above a polluted waterbody filled with toxins, garbage, and plastic waste. It's the very place these mosquitoes breed—a breeding ground not just for insects, but for disease.
3. Save the Tree
Medium: Watercolour
The painting captures deforestation through the image of an old man asleep, an axe resting in his hand after cutting down trees. He's unclothed, yet his large stomach stands out—raising a troubling question— how can someone sleep so soundly after causing such harm?
