A Redbridge-based artist is showcasing the rich Bangladeshi culture to a wider audience through an art project, thanks to a commission from the Arts Council and a National Lottery grant.
The British-Bangladeshi artist Mukta Chakravarty, who goes by Mouni Mukta, has launched a six-month-long art project entitled Canvas Story: Narrating British Bangladeshi cultural heritage to enhance cultural resilience which aims to integrate Bangladesh’s cultural heritage into the wider art scene.
Mukta set about the online project since she felt that not enough was being done to preserve and promote Bangladeshi culture, particularly to young people of Bengali heritage born and raised in this country.
The project focuses on three aspects of Bangladeshi culture - Nouka Baich (boat race), Manosamangol (a medieval Bengali epic) and Dol Utsab (festival of colours).
She incorporated these three aspects into three paintings and scripts for three short films.
Mukta said she has wanted to work on an art project exploring Bangladesh’s culture for a long time because she felt her culture and history were being eroded over time.
She said: “Many young people of Bengali heritage, including those born and raised in Britain, are losing a sense of their cultural identity.
“This makes it vital to celebrate and reinforce the thousand-year-old aesthetic cultural heritage of Bengal.”
As part of the wider discussion the artist is holding six online seminars with researchers, academics and representatives from the community to discuss the issues brought up by the art project.
Ilford South MP Sam Tarry attended the first virtual seminar on December 5 along with commonwealth scholar Sudip Chakraborty and writer and film director Leesa Gazi.
Mr Tarry said he felt the project was particularly significant for young people to learn about their ancestry, heritage and culture.
He said: “When you know where you are coming from, I believe it will help you to know where you are going.”
The first of the three films launched this weekend with the second film premiering in January and the third in March.
For more information visit facebook.com/mounimukta
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