When used materials find their way to the canvas

Ruthba Irteza Chowdhury's journey with arts and crafts began at a very young age, which consisted of doing chores outdoors in her yard. This task turned into an exploration for scrap materials she would use to make sculptures for her doll house, which was also made from a forgotten shelf. 

Reusing scrap material is not an uncommon sight in our culture, where a plastic bottle can survive a decade before it is deemed as trash. Ruthba's hobby in crafts stands as a testament to this notion. 

"Starting from making bracelets with leaves to mini furniture, almost everything I made as a form of art in my childhood was from scrap. As I grew up, that stuck to me and I incorporated scrap materials in my artwork throughout my adulthood as well," said Ruthba, a vlogger and a hobbyist artist.

This creative approach has found its way into our local art scene, where artists reimagine found objects and scrap material and transform them into new expressions.

Found objects, or objects that are not typically used in art, have been around for a long time. Pablo Picasso's sculpture 'Bull's Head' had used rusty handlebars and a bicycle seat, which he found in a pile of objects. 

As Picasso had described to photographer George Brassaï in a conversation, "In a flash, they joined together in my head. The idea of the Bull's Head came to me before I had a chance to think."

However in recent times, the space around crafting has changed. It has become a form of therapy for some and a means of protest for others, also known as 'craftivism.' It sets all the gears in your brain to start running together, while fighting against the notions of consumption and capitalism. 

An affordable means
It goes without saying that reusing materials can save you money. However, when artists create art with this in mind, the impact can be ten folds. 

For Mahbubur Rahman, an internationally acclaimed visual artist, finding ways to reuse or repurpose materials comes from instinct, and he has been working with this mindset from around 1993. The artist works with a variety of mediums from painting to sculptures.

According to him, he owes this habit to his upbringing. "I grew up in Puran Dhaka. So the habit of reusing materials is something I grew up with," he shared.

He continues, "I would collect parts such as gas cylinders or car parts and convert them to components of my sculptures."
Many of the materials he collected came from local junk shops, and he found ways to reuse them multiple times before they were finally discarded. Once scrapped, they might end up back at the junk shop or be used as firewood in other homes.

"With some art pieces, the wood gets discarded. There's a rickshaw painter we know near our studio who uses a wood stove at home. We provide him with wood sometimes, and he makes the most of it," Rahman added.

For artist Kingshuk Das Chowdhury, using scrap material or found objects was a means to make his passion affordable, and now has become an integral part of his style. Pursuing art as an occupation can sometimes be risky business if it does not sell, on top of the cost of materials.

"Materials from abroad are very expensive and I cannot always afford to invest in such materials. Using scrap materials has allowed me to continue making art, even if it doesn't sell," commented artist Kingshuk. 

He continues, "If people like it, they can purchase it, but if it doesn't sell, the financial risk is not as high as it would have been otherwise."

This approach has been practical for him since his student days.  "As a student, I'd collect cheap, discarded materials like old press plates. They were unique and often featured interesting engravings or even advertisements, which made them fascinating to experiment with and inspect for prints." 

A language for creativity and consumerism

Just as art stimulates creativity, so does sustainability. A discarded glass window can become part of a new art installation.

"It's fascinating how someone can take a used material and transform its meaning. The creative process engages the artist's mind, while viewers get to see familiar materials in a completely new way," Mahbubur remarked.

Reimagining these materials adds a personal touch to the work, creating a unique bond between the artist and their creation. "The relationship with art made from found materials is distinct," noted Kingshuk.

He continues, "After discovering the material, such as ripped cloth, I get to present it using my own vision. This whole process is like no other."

Artist Kingshuk's press plate experiments are a clear example of this. One plate will be unlike the next, and according to him, the outcome of the art depends on the artist's own observation of the material. 

Similarly, artist Mahbubur partook in a project where used garments from Begum Bazar were utilised to create costumes and sculptures. He believes that a project like this holds a lot of sentimental value and history. 

"If you think about a project like this, there might be someone's grandmother's shari among the garments used," shared Rahman. 

This practice also plays a crucial role in environmental advocacy by challenging the relentless cycle of buying and consuming. It encourages not only reusing items but also finding discarded materials and giving them a new purpose.

"A core aspect of consumerism is engaging people to buy more," Rahman noted.

However, in our culture, things are different.  "We grew up learning to make do with less, using items as long as possible. I believe we should embrace creativity to repurpose scrap materials and imagine new ways to reuse them," he added.

A movement for mental health

The process of reusing materials and for craft goes beyond creating art. The impact it has on one's mental health is undeniable. 

Crafting engages the mind entirely, forcing it to pause the normal day-to-day worries in order to bring your imagination to life. Despite the push to always remain productive in current times, these hobbies prevent the mind from remaining stuck, constantly cycling in the worries of life.

"Without having hobbies like this to enjoy, it is hard to be productive as well. Even what we deem as 'useless' has its own merits," shared Kingshuk.
This rings true, even for hobbyists such as Ruthba. "Crafting is truly the one form of free therapy that has helped me deal with some of the darkest times of my life," shared Ruthba. 
She continues, "I didn't let loneliness take over my head and that was possible only by diverting that energy to creating something out of nothing. It helped me fight the loneliness I felt as a new mother." 

Whether artist or hobbyist, individuals have proven that reusing — or reimagining materials has a well-deserved place in the fight for our environment, and our mental health.